Medical Science
Volume 25, Issue 111, May, 2021
Neonatal sepsis in association with birth weight, gestational age, and mode of delivery in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Nazim Faisal Hamid1♦, Muawia Elsayed Elkhider Ebrahim2, Naif Mutkhan Tohaimer Alsharari2, Alaa Saud M Alyasi2, Mostafa Moheb Mostafa Rizk3
1Pediatrics Consultant, Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Tabuk,
KSA
2Pediatrics and neonatology Consultant, Maternal and Child Health Care
Center, Tabuk, KSA
3Pediatrics Resident, Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Tabuk,
KSA
♦Corresponding author
Pediatrics Consultant, Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Tabuk,
KSA
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Neonatal sepsis is a worldwide health problem. Additionally, neonatal sepsis causes a great burden of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Methodology: A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and EBSCO
databases, was conducted. The reviewers screened the extracted literature to include the studies that met the inclusion criteria. Results: A total of 119 articles were reviewed, of which 4 study articles were included in this meta-analysis. We found that birth weight was not significantly related to the risk of neonatal sepsis (n=4; SMD -0.68; 95% CI [-0.89, -0.46]). Gestational age did not have a significant effect on the rate of occurrence of neonatal sepsis (n=3; SMD -0.17; 95% CI [-0.41, -0.06]). Vaginal delivery mode is associated with lower incidence of neonatal sepsis (n=3; OR 0.61; 95% CI [0.36, 1.03]). The cesarean section was associated with a higher incidence of neonatal sepsis (n=3; OR 2.13; 95% CI [1.23, 3.70]). Conclusion: This study found that both neonatal and maternal factors as potential independent risk factors to have an association with the risk of neonatal sepsis. We also observed that birth weight, gestational, and vaginal deliveries are not associated with a higher risk of neonatal sepsis, while cesarean delivery was associated with greater risk.
Keywords: Neonatal Sepsis, Birth Weight, Gestational Age, Mode of Delivery,
Saudi Arabia, Meta-analysis
Medical Science, 2021, 25(111), 1071-1079
