Birth outcomes among laboring mothers in selected health facilities of North Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia: A facility based cross-sectional study

Background: Poor birth outcomes are common health problems everywhere in the world. Hence institutional delivery in Ethiopia is very low, improving birth outcomes through recent evidence remained critical. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of poor birth outcomes and associated factors among women who delivered in selected health facilities of North Wollo Zone. Methods: A facility based cross-sectional survey was conducted on 295 laboring mothers from May to June 2009. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Patient’s chart was reviewed to retrieve medical information. Anthropometry of the neonate was taken by standard measurement tools. Data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 15. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of poor birth outcomes. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: All the data resulted from 295 laboring mothers were made part of the analyses. A total of 266 (90.2%) laboring mothers gave live birth. A quarter, 68 (23.1%) of the laboring mothers had a poor birth outcome. The common adverse outcomes were intrauterine fetal death (IUFD, preterm, and birth defects with the proportion of 29 (42.6%), 22 (32.4%), and 3 (4.4%), respectively). Mother whose husband’s occupation was merchant (AOR = 4.4, 95% CI: 1.0-19.0), driver (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.12-15.76), & women who were illiterate (AOR = 4.0, 95% CI: 1.2-13.5), primary school completed (AOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.3-13.8), non-antenatal care visited (AOR = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.12-10.2), rural residence, (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.11-5.80), & mother’s HIV status, (AOR = 34.2, 95% CL 5.6, 207.0) were independent predictors of poor birth outcomes. Conclusions: Poor birth outcomes were very common in the study area where low birth weight accounted for much of all adverse pregnancy outcomes. Occupation, residence, antenatal care visit, income, maternal education and HIV status were determinants of poor birth outcomes. Accessing antenatal care in early trimester, mild physical work, maternal education to secondary level and above should be encouraged.

The burden of and risk factors for active trachoma in the North and South Wollo Zones of Amhara Region,Ethiopia:a crosssectional study

Background:Trachoma is a disease of the eye,caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis,which can lead to blindness if left untreated.Ethiopia is one of the most trachoma-affected countries in the world.The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of and associated risk factors for active trachoma among children in selected woredas of North and South Wollo Zones in Amhara Region,Ethiopia.Methods:This study was a community-based,cross-sectional study,which was conducted from October to December 2014 among children aged 1-8.A four-stage random cluster sampling technique was employed to select the study areas and participants.From each selected household,one child was clinically assessed for active trachoma.A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic,behavioral,and clinical data.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between predictor variables and active trachoma.Results:The overall prevalence of active trachoma among 1358 children was found to be 21.6%(95%CI:19.4-23.8%).When analyzed by the presence or absence of individual WHO simplified system signs of active trachoma,trachomatous inflammation-follicular cases constituted18%(95%CI:15.9-20.2%),while 4.7%(95%CI:3.6-5.8%)were trachomatous inflammation-intense cases.Ocular discharge(aOR=5.2;95%CI:3.3-8.2),nasal discharge(aOR=1.8;95%CI:1.2-2.7),time taken to fetch water(aOR=0.02;95%CI:0.01-0.05),frequency of hand and face washing(aOR=4.4;95%CI:1.1-17.8),and access to a latrine(aOR=0.006;95%CI:0.001-0.030)were found to be independently associated with the presence of active trachoma.Conclusions:There is a high burden of active trachoma among children in the study areas.Lack of personal hygiene and limited access to a safe water supply and latrines were associated with increased prevalence of active trachoma.In order to reduce the burden of active trachoma,facial cleanliness and environmental improvement components of the SAFE strategy should be upgraded in the study areas.