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
. 2022 Oct 25;13(3):2045.
doi: 10.4081/jphia.2022.2045. eCollection 2022 Sep 7.

Maternal factors associated with immediate low Apgar score in newborn babies at an intermediate hospital in Northern Namibia

Justina Lungameni  1 , Emma Maano Nghitanwa  1 , Laura Uusiku  1 , Abel Karera  2
Affiliations

Maternal factors associated with immediate low Apgar score in newborn babies at an intermediate hospital in Northern Namibia

Justina Lungameni et al. J Public Health Afr. .

Abstract

Background: All newborn infants are required to undergo the Apgar score/assessment immediately after birth and again at five minutes. This vital examination is performed to determine how well the infant is adjusting to the birthing process and the outside environment. Some newborns may have a normal Apgar score, while others may have a low score. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with low Apgar scores among newborns at an intermediate hospital in Northern Namibia.

Objective: To identify maternal factors associated with an immediate low Apgar score in newborns at an intermediate hospital in Northern Namibia and to examine the association between maternal factors and an immediate low Apgar score. Quantitative, retrospective, descriptive research methodology was employed. A document review checklist was utilized to collect data at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital between August 2020 and October 2020.

Results: Gravidity (p0.021), parity (p0.029), haemoglobin after the first ante-natal care visit (p0.011), ante-partum haemorrhage (APH) (p0.004), membrane status (p0.000), duration of labour (p0.000), type of delivery (p0.000), and caesarean section type and indication (p0.000) were found to be associated with an immediate low Apgar score.

Conclusions: The study identified maternal factors that influence an infant's initial low Apgar score. Strengthen maternal health education regarding gravidity and parity, diet, and recognizing danger signs during pregnancy. In addition, strict monitoring of patients with a partograph, cardiotocography, accurate record keeping, and prompt referral of patients with risk factors is strongly advised.

Keywords: Maternal factors; babies; immediate low Apgar score; newborn.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Carlos. R., Degrandi O. The Legacy of Virginia Apgar. British Journal of Anesthesia 2020;124:e185-e186. - PubMed
    1. Khalid M. A., Ghani R., Khalid M. F., et al. . Association of delivery procedure with APGAR scores among neonates born to healthy Pakistani mothers: a pilot study. F1000 Research 2018;7:346.
    1. Jeganathan R., Karalasingam S. D., Hussein J., et al. . Factors associated with recovery from 1-minute Apgar score<4 in live, singleton, term births: An analysis of Malaysia National obstetrics Registry data 2010-2012. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2017;17:110. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hanyanya J. Assessment of management of newborn babies with neonatal asphyxia at maternity units of a state hospital in Windhoek, University of Namibia. 2018.
    1. Tewesa E., Chirwa. E., Majamanda M. D., et al. . A. Associative Factors for Birth Asphyxia at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines 2017;5.

LinkOut - more resources