Abstract:

Background: Early onset of neonatal sepsis refer to an infection in newborn babies within the first 72 hours of life with clinical signs of sepsis such as lower chest wall in drawing, fast breathing and hyperthermia. Early neonatal sepsis is a significant cause of neonatal mortality in low-income countries like Africa and Asia and worldwide. Maternal factors such as prolonged rupture of membrane, premature of membrane >18 hours, history of UTIs, poor antenatal visit <4 times, maternal fever were among risk factors lead to early neonatal sepsis.

Objectives: The objectives of the study is to determine maternal factors and preventive measures for early neonatal sepsis among neonates at Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza Tanzania.

Materials and Methods: A quantitative research-based cross section study design was used. Data were collected by means of a structured-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0. One hundred and sixty-eight neonate-index mothers and twenty-eight were sampled after permission to conduct the study was requested and obtained.

Results: The results shows maternal factors were most associated with neonatal sepsis where by 51.8% of mother with neonates had prolonged rupture of membrane while 52.4% of mother with neonates had prolonged active stage of labor. Majority of mother 63.7% had history of UTIs during antepartum, where maternal fever during delivery were 16.7% . Approximately 53.6% of mother did not attend successfully all eight ANC visits where majority of mothers 58.9%( 99) got SVD mode. Other findings concerning preventive measures to neonatal sepsis were, 17.9% of digital vaginal examination were done by wearing of sterile gloves and no adherence to hand hygiene. Also, 21.4% of artificial rupture of membrane done without adherence to hand hygiene and sterile gloves were applied. Approximately 53.6% of vaginal examination were done more than four times while 28.6% of nurses were done artificial rupture of membrane without use sterile equipment.

Conclusion: Maternal factors were significant cause of neonatal sepsis , therefore early recognition of these factor in labor or antenatal ,well triage in a labour, adherence to infections prevention in most procedures done in labour can minimize neonatal sepsis. Also, early diagnosis and treatments of neonates can minimize prevalence of sepsis.