dc.description.abstract | Background: Growth restriction has been identified as one of the major complications of
prematurity which eventually leads to poor outcomes in premature infants in their future. Early
discharge of these infants from the hospital with their mothers as the primary caregivers puts
them in to more danger since there are no established support structures and follow up care. Kitui
District Hospital has markedly improved the survival of the extremely preterm infants who are
the greatest risk of developing most of the complications of prematurity. The aim of this study
was to establish the determinants of early growth in premature infants after hospital discharge at
the Kitui District Hospital.
Methodology: Longitudinal study design was used to execute this study at the Kitui District
Hospital Newborn Unit, the pediatric outpatient clinic and the Maternal and Child Health clinic.
Quantitative data was collected by taking the anthropometric measurements of 112 infants and
interviewing the guardians at discharge. Follow up measurement of the same parameters was
repeated two weeks post discharge. Data collected was coded and analyzed using a STATA
version 10.
Results: Most of the premature infants discharged from the hospital were females (60%) with
the majority (54.5%) of them having being born between 33-37 weeks gestation. These infants
were born to mothers aged between 20 to 29 years (63.4). Most (66.1%) mothers had only
attained primary school education and were married (66.1%). Majority (92%) of these mothers
attended the antenatal care clinic and had the antenatal profiles done (91.1%). They lived in the
rural areas (88%). Growth deficit was determined in 72.6% of the infants who were reassessed at
two weeks post discharge. There was statistically significant (P=0.024) association between the
gestational age of 33-37 weeks and deficit in early growth in these infants.
Conclusion: The major determinants of early growth in premature infants after their hospital
discharge at KDH was their gestational age at birth, the infants’ gender and any post discharge
illness. Maternal age, marital status, level of education and occupation also influenced the early
growth of the premature infants. | en_US |