Prevalence of Neonatal Jaundice and its Associated Risk Factors in Babies Born At Westend Hospital In Harare, Zimbabwe
Abstract
Introduction: Neonatal jaundice is a common condition worldwide occurring in up to 60% of healthy term babies and 80% of preterm babies within the first week of life. Its risk factors are mainly demographic, maternal, and neonatal. Zimbabwe currently lacks sufficient data on these. Objective: The present report aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of neonatal jaundice in babies born at Westend Hospital Zimbabwe in 2021. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study of secondary data from the year 2021. Out of 1172 babies delivered, only 611 babies met the inclusion criteria for the study; all babies on medication and pregnant women under the age of 18 years were excluded. Case notes of babies admitted from January 2021 to December 2021 were retrieved through information on bio data. Using convenient sampling, 611 babies were found to meet the criteria for the study, through an assessment of their demographic profiles, clinical outcomes, and laboratory data. Additionally, descriptive statistics were used. Maternal and fetal risk factors were assessed, P< 0.05 set as statistically significant. Results: This study showed that 281 babies presented neonatal jaundice, yielding a 45.99% prevalence rate. A significant relationship was found between neonatal jaundice and the predisposing risk factors, namely, low birth weight (p=<0.0001), prematurity (p=<0.0001), neonatal gender (p=0.028), blood group incompatibility (p=<0.001), G6PD deficiency (p=0.001), black race (P<0.0001), maternal diabetes (P<0.0001) lack of breastfeeding and history of jaundice in the family (P<0.002). Conclusions: The prevalence of neonatal jaundice was found to be high and risk factors were found to be predominantly demographic, maternal, and neonatal. Keywords: Neonatal, Jaundice, Risk, Maternal, Prevalence
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