Incidence & Risk Factors Of Intraventricular Hemorrhage (Ivh) In Preterm Infants At Level Three Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Background and Aim: Neonatal prematurity and underweight are the two main causes of IVH, a serious multifactorial condition in preterm babies. Our study aims to define the incidence and the risk factors of intraventricular Hemorrhage in Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1415 premature neonates (with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks admitted to NICU at Saudi Arabia for a ten year record. The study population was selected using the census method, and patients who were discharged or died before the seventh day of birth were excluded from the study. The demographic information, which included gestational age, birth weight, and method of delivery, was taken from the neonates' medical records. Use of mechanical breathing, 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores, head circumference, pneumothorax, thrombocytopenia, resuscitation, corticosteroid prescription for the mother before delivery, and neonatal and maternal profiles are all factors to consider. The infants were divided into two case and control groups, one for infants with IVH and the other for infants without IVH. Spss was used for analysis.

Results: as per study 29 (2%) children had IVH and 98% had no IVH out of 1415 participants. Among IVH grade II was most common followed by Grade IV. According to the results of this study, 61.2% of the neonates were male, and their mean gestational age was 30.39±1.71 weeks (range: 24-32 weeks). Furthermore, the participants’ mean birth weight was 1542.33±354.55 g (range: 659-2600 g). As it can be observed, IVH revealed a significant relationship between the mean gestational age and neonatal weight(P=0.01&P=0.04, respectively). The comparison of head circumference and 1-minute Apgar scores between the case and control groups indicated no significant difference (P=0.21&P=0.23, respectively). Main risk factors are differed significantly regarding the need for mechanical ventilation (P=0.03). Moreover, the comparison of Pneumothorax between the newborns with and without IVH indicated a significant difference (P=0.01).

Conclusion: The incidence of IVH in present study was 2%. Hence, the According to the results of the current study, IVH was quite common among newborns admitted to NICU based on other studies