The Assessment of Postnatal Weight Gain Pattern and its Predictor Among Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Selected Public Hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2025.
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Date
2025-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Introduction: very low birth weight preterm neonates are birth weight less or equal to 1500gram at birth
and delivered before 37 week of gestation. It is strong predictors of new born death during the neonatal
period, which is the 1st 28 days after delivery. Despite advancements in neonatal care, addressing the poor
growth of very low birth weight preterm neonates remains challenging and needs to be unraveled.
Objective: To assess the pattern of post natal weight gain and identify its predictor among very low birth
weight preterm neonates admitted in neonatal intensive care units of selected public hospital in Addis
Ababa, 2025.
Methods: An institutional based retrospective study was conducted among 422 very low birth weight
preterm neonates from Jan 1,2022 to Dec 30, 2024. The sample size was calculated by using single
proportion formula with prevalence of 50%. Proportional allocation was done. Data were collected, coded
and entered using kobo toolbox then export to Statistical package of social science Version.27 for analysis.
Variable with p-value<0.25 used for bivariate analysis and entered in a multivariate logistic regression
analysis and p < 0.05 were declared statistically significant. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95%
confidence intervals (CI) and p-values was used.
Results: a total of 413 sample was analyzed and 78.2% exhibited adequate postnatal weight gain and the
average weight gain was 19.6g/kg/d. Very low birth neonates delivered via SVD[AOR=2.56(1.402-4.69],
age at regain birth weight within 14 days[AOR=4.906(1.28-18.75)],frequency of feeding every two hour
[AOR=3.3(1.79-6.097], neonates in kangaroo mother care[AOR=4.42(2.38-8.205)], and neonates who use
oxygen less than 9 days[AOR=2.75( 1.299-5.843)], had statistical significant association with adequate
postnatal weight gain pattern.
Conclusion and recommendations: from this result postnatal weight gain in very low birth weight
neonates exceeded the recommended weight gain outlined in the Ethiopian neonatal intensive care unit
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guidelines. Based on these we recommend that implementing enhanced care protocols for very low birth
weight preterm neonates, prioritizing early detection and management of comorbidities and encouraging
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Keywords
Very low birth weight, preterm, postnatal weight gain, z-score, gestational age.