WEEK 3: Symposium: Neonatal, infant and child mortality rates in Botswana

Question 1

What is neonatal mortality rate?

Answer 1

Number of babies dying less than 28 days old per 1000 life births per year.

Question 2

What is infant mortality rate?

Answer 2

Number of babies dying of ages 28 days to 12 months per 1000 life births per year.

Question 3

State the 4 leading causes of neonatal and infant mortality rate.

Answer 3

*Prematurity and associated comorbidities
*Sepsis
*HIE
*Congenital anomalies

Question 4

What can be done to prevent neonatal and infant mortality rates in Botswana?

Answer 4

1. Prematurity and Associated Comorbidities:
   Prevention:

*Promoting maternal health: Encourage women to attend prenatal care early and regularly. Focus on proper nutrition, avoiding substance use, and managing chronic conditions.

*Addressing risk factors: Identify and manage risk factors for preterm birth, such as multiple pregnancies, infections, and maternal stress.

*Addressing:
Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs): Ensure access to NICUs equipped to handle premature infants.

*Kangaroo Care: Encourage skin-to-skin contact between premature infants and their mothers, which has been shown to improve outcomes.

*Respiratory support: Provide respiratory support and other medical interventions as needed.

2. Sepsis:
   Prevention:

*Infection control: Implement strict infection control practices in healthcare settings, including proper hand hygiene, sterilization of equipment, and aseptic techniques.

*Prenatal screening: Identify and treat maternal infections during pregnancy.

*Neonatal vaccination: Administer vaccinations to protect against infections shortly after birth.

Addressing:

*Early diagnosis: Train healthcare providers to recognize the signs of sepsis early on.

*Antibiotics: Administer appropriate antibiotics promptly.

*Supportive care: Provide supportive care, including fluid resuscitation and respiratory support.

3. Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE):

Prevention:
*Intrapartum monitoring: Ensure continuous monitoring during labor and delivery to detect and address fetal distress promptly.

*Timely delivery: Expedite delivery in cases of fetal distress or other complications.

*Adequate prenatal care: Encourage regular prenatal care to identify and manage conditions that could lead to HIE.

Addressing:
*Hypothermia therapy: Initiate therapeutic hypothermia for infants with HIE to reduce neurological damage.

*Neonatal intensive care: Provide specialized care in NICUs, including respiratory support and monitoring.

4. Congenital Anomalies:
   Prevention:

*Folic acid supplementation: Encourage women to take folic acid before and during early pregnancy to prevent certain congenital anomalies.

*Prenatal screening: Offer prenatal screening tests to detect congenital anomalies early.

*Genetic counseling: Provide genetic counseling for families with a history of congenital anomalies.

Addressing:

*Early diagnosis: Use prenatal imaging techniques to diagnose congenital anomalies before birth.

*Surgical interventions: Plan and perform necessary surgical interventions shortly after birth.