MATERNAL DETERMINANTS OF ADVERSE BIRTH OUTCOMES (ASPHYXIA, LBW AND PPH) IN LAMBUSSIE DISTRICT, GHANA

Abstract

Adverse birth outcomes continue to be global public health challenges, particularly in poor resource setting. Policy makers are often focused on curative medical care to the neglect of the impaired functioning and the life-long disabilities of these adverse birth outcomes in populations. This cross sectional study was aimed at assessing the nutritional, socioeconomic, health service and maternal risk factors associated with birth or pregnancy outcomes. About 183 mothers were systematically sampled among six sub-districts for this study. Data was analyzed with the use of STATA version 13. Multivariate logistic and univariate regression models were estimated to assess the association between dependent and independent variables at a confident level of 95%. The results from the study showed that the prevalence of low birth weight, moderate asphyxia and postpartum haemorrhage were 8.2%, 9.3% and 7.1% respectively. Factors that were significantly associated with low birth weight included alcohol intake (P<0.034), GWG (p<0.036), maternal height (p<0.028), food taboos (p<0.017), religion (p<0.037), transportation (p<0.001), gravidity (p<0.013) and parity (p<0.008). For instance, babies of mothers with history of alcohol (pito intake) were 130g lighter in birth weight as compared with babies of mothers with no alcohol history. Also, the results revealed that maternal education (p<0.001), nutrition counseling during pregnancy (p<0.023), meal frequency (p<0.045) and gestational weight gain of the mothers (p<0.018) were significantly associated with moderate asphyxia among the babies of respondents in the study. Lastly, postpartum haemorrhage as experienced by some mothers during delivery was also influenced by daily food supplements (p<0.057), knowledge of four star meal (p<0.011), malnutrition (p <0.058), transportation (p<0.0321) and parity of the respondents (p<0.046). As a conclusion, socioeconomic background of the respondents, nutritional and health service related factors played a significant role in the outcomes of deliveries of the pregnant mothers. Therefore, nutrition stakeholders at the district level needs to double up their efforts in health promotion and education programmes to discourage the women on “pito” intake prior to conception and during pregnancy.