Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Jul 15;48(1):114.
doi: 10.1186/s13052-022-01307-5.

The effect of gestational age, low birth weight and parity on birth asphyxia among neonates in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis: 2021

Masresha Asmare Techane  1 , Tewodros Getaneh Alemu  2 , Chalachew Adugna Wubneh  2 , Getaneh Mulualem Belay  2 , Tadesse Tarik Tamir  2 , Addis Bilal Muhye  2 , Destaye Guadie Kassie  2 , Amare Wondim  2 , Bewuketu Terefe  3 , Bethelihem Tigabu Tarekegn  2 , Mohammed Seid Ali  2 , Beletech Fentie  2 , Almaz Tefera Gonete  2 , Berhan Tekeba  2 , Selam Fisiha Kassa  2 , Bogale Kassahun Desta  2 , Amare Demsie Ayele  2 , Melkamu Tilahun Dessie  2 , Kendalem Asmare Atalell  2 , Nega Tezera Assimamaw  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The effect of gestational age, low birth weight and parity on birth asphyxia among neonates in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis: 2021

Masresha Asmare Techane et al. Ital J Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: Despite simple and proven cost-effective measures were available to prevent birth asphyxia; studies suggested that there has been limited progress in preventing birth asphyxia even in healthy full-term neonates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Inconsistency of magnitude of birth asphyxia and its association gestational age, Low birth Weight and Parity among different studies has been observed through time.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the Pooled magnitude of birth asphyxia and its association with gestational age, Low birth Weight and Parity among Neonates in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Method: PubMed, Cochrane library and Google scholar databases were searched for relevant literatures. In addition, reference lists of included studies were retrieved to obtain birth asphyxia related articles. Appropriate search term was established and used to retrieve studies from databases. Searching was limited to cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies conducted in Sub-Saharan africa and published in English language. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal of studies. Heterogeneity across the included studies was evaluated by using the inconsistency index (I2) test. Funnel plot and the Egger's regression test were used to test publication bias. A weighted inverse variance random effects- model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of birth asphyxia among neonates in Sub-Saharan Africa. STATA™ version 11softwarewasused to conduct the meta-analysis.

Result: A total of 40 studies with 176,334 study participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall pooled magnitude of birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa was 17.28% (95% CI; (15.5, 19.04). low birth weight (AOR = 2.58(95% CI: 1.36, 4.88)), primigravida (AOR = 1.15 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.46) andMeconium-stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 6(95% CI: 3.69, 9.74)) werevariables significantly associated with the pooled prevalence of birth asphyxia.

Conclusion: The pooled magnitude of birth asphyxia was found to be high in Sub-Saharan Africa. Low birthweight and Meconium-stained amniotic fluid were variables significantly associated with birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, it is better to develop early detection and management strategies for the affected neonates with low birth weight and born from mothers intrapartum meconium stained amniotic fluid.

Keywords: Birth asphyxia; Neonate; Newborn; Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A PRISMA flow diagram of articles screening and process of selection
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The pooled prevalence of birth asphyxia among neonates in sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Sub group analysis of magnitude of birth asphyxia by region in Sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Funnel plot to determine publication bias among the included studies
fig. 5
fig. 5
Sensitivity analysis of the included studies
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
the pooled effect of parity on birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
the pooled effect of low birth weight on birth asphyxia in sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
The pooled effect of meconium-stained amniotic fluid on birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
The pooled effect of gestational age on birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Organization WH . Guidelines on basic newborn resuscitation. 2012. - PubMed
    1. Antonucci R, Porcella A, Pilloni MD. Perinatal asphyxia in the term newborn. J Pediatr Neonatal Individual Med. 2014;3(2):e030269.
    1. Organization WH. The WHO application of ICD-10 to deaths during the perinatal period. 2016. p. ICD-PM. - PubMed
    1. Odd D, Heep A, Luyt K, Draycott T. Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury: planned delivery before intrapartum events. J Neonatal-Perinatal Med. 2017;10(4):347–353. doi: 10.3233/NPM-16152. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gibson A, Noguchi L, Kinney MV, Blencowe H, Freedman L, Mofokeng T, et al. Galvanizing collective action to accelerate reductions in maternal and newborn mortality and prevention of stillbirths. Global Health. 2021;9(2):268. - PMC - PubMed