Neugeborenen- und Kindermedizin

Abstrakt

Analysis of Infant Mortality in Three Hospitals in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saasita AK, Kombi BK, Mbahweka FK, Mitamo AA, André KM and Bunduki GK

Background: Infant mortality refers to deaths that affect children during their first year of life per 1,000 live births. It is composed of early neonatal mortality (0-7 days of birth), late neonatal mortality (8-27 days) and post-neonatal mortality (28-365 days). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of infant mortality in Butembo, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Methods: This was a retrospective study carried out from January 2015 to December 2016 in 3 Congolese hospitals (Cliniques Universitaires du Graben (CUG), Matanda Hospital and Kitatumba General Referral Hospital) on 8033 children.
Results: The prevalence of infant mortality was 14.31‰. A child under one year hospitalized at CUG has 6.66 times the risk of death than those hospitalized at other hospitals. Age <7 days, male sex, weight <2499 grams, history of hospitalization during pregnancy, less than 4 sessions of antenatal care, APGAR score <7, dystocic delivery, irregularities in immunization schedule, pathologies such as HIV/AIDS, acute respiratory infection, prematurity, and neonatal infections were the risk factors contributing to infant mortality.
Conclusion: Actions aiming to reduce the occurrence of risk factors should be done in order to get the possible lowest prevalence of infant mortality.