Socio Demographic And Socio Economic Factors Associated With Adverse Birth Outcomes Among Neonates In Kajiado County Referral Hospital

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine socio demographic and socio economic factors associated with adverse birth outcomes among neonates in Kajiado County Referral Hospital. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional study design was used. The study population was women admitted in post-natal ward at Kajiado county Referral Hospital having delivered within 48 hours. Systematic sampling was used to select the women admitted in post-natal ward. A total of 163 study participants were recruited through systematic sampling. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the respondents. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Pearson chi-square test was used to determine the significance of association between each outcome variable and the independent variables. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI were used to estimate the strength of association. The threshold for significance was set at P<0.05 at all levels of analyses. Summary statistic of independent variables was presented using frequency tables, pie charts, percentages and graphs. Results: The study found out that teenage pregnancy (giving birth at age ≤19 years) was significantly associated with preterm births and low birth weight. Neonates who were born by teenage mothers had higher odds of being preterm and low birth weight than those whose mothers were of higher ages .Neonates born to mothers who were single had higher odds of low birth weight and preterm births compared to those born to married mothers. Neonates whose mothers resided in rural area had higher odds of having low birth weight and preterm birth compared to the urban dwellers. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that there is need of prevention of teenage pregnancies. This can be achieved by including sexuality and health education in the new competence based curriculum, development of laws with stiffer penalties for punishing those responsible for impregnating teenage girls. The study also recommended the empowerment of girl child through access to education, sensitizing the community against retrogressive cultural practices that lead to early pregnancies such as early marriages.