Prevalence of intraventricular hemorrhage and associated factors to in premature babies in selected teaching hospitals in Rwanda

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a critical issue in premature infants, caused by the rupture of fragile brain blood vessels due to underdeveloped vasculature. IVH severity, graded by the Papile system in 4 grades, significantly impacts neurodevelopmental outcomes. Despite its severity Data on IVH in sub-Saharan Africa, including Rwanda, is limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of IVH and identify contributing factors among premature infants in selected teaching hospitals in Kigali, Rwanda. A retrospective quantitative study analyzed 416 premature infants admitted to 2 Kigali teaching hospitals from 2020 to 2022. Data on demographics, maternal and neonatal factors, and medical interventions were collected from medical records, and statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and multivariate regression, assessed IVH prevalence and association. IVH prevalence was 25.0%, with most cases in grades I and II. Significant factors associated with IVH included neonatal transfer, low gestational age, low Apgar scores, low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome, maternal infections, emergency cesarean sections, and certain invasive medical interventions such as suction and intubation. This study highlights the complex risk factors for IVH in premature infants, underscoring the need for improved maternal and neonatal care to reduce IVH risk and enhance outcomes. The study’s limitations include its retrospective design, which relies on existing medical records that may contain inaccuracies in documentation, and its focus on data from only two hospitals, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings. Further research is recommended to validate these results and explore long-term neurological development.