DETERMINANTS OF NEONATAL HYPOGLYCEMIA AMONG NEONATES ADMITTED AT NICU OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN WEST SHOA, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA, A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Advisors: Teshale Mulatu (MSc, Ass’t Professor) Introduction: The burden of neonatal hypoglycemia is very high and it is interlinked with<br> numerous neonatal complications and mortality. The diagnosis and management of clinically<br> significant hypoglycemia remain controversial due to varying definitions in clinical context.<br> Investigating the determinants among neonates in neonatal intensive care units is crucial for<br> developing preventive strategies and reducing the burden. However, there are limited studies<br> conducted in Ethiopia in general and in the specific study setting.<br> Objective: This study aimed to assess determinants of neonatal hypoglycemia among neonates<br> admitted at Neonatal Intensive Care unit of public hospitals in West Shoa, Oromia, Ethiopia,<br> 2025<br> Method: An institutional-based, unmatched case-control study was conducted among 258 (86<br> cases and 172 controls) neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of public hospitals<br> in West Shoa, Oromia, Ethiopia from February 25, 2025 to March 25, 2025. A systematic<br> random sampling method was used to select controls and cases were selected consecutively.<br> Data were collected using a pretested chart review extraction tool. Logistic regression analysis<br> was performed to identify the determinants of neonatal hypoglycemia. The adjusted odds ratios<br> with their respective 95% confidence intervals are used, and a p-value &lt;0.05 is considered<br> statistically significant.<br> Result: In this study, Overall successful Retrieval Rate for controls were 96.5%, while for cases<br> were 100 % retrieval rate. Educational status (no formal education :- AOR = 9.37, 95% CI:<br> 1.92–45.80 ), Gestational age (&gt; 42 weeks:- AOR = 10.94, 95% CI: 1.53 – 78.08), Intrapartum<br> haemorrhage ( AOR = 8.96, 95% CI: 1.59–50.36 ), Small for gestational age (AOR = 15.83 (95<br> CI: 2.28–109.69) were significantly associated with neonatal hypoglycemia.<br> Conclusion: Findings of this study revealed that maternal education, gestational age,<br> intrapartum complications, and neonatal growth status play critical roles in the occurrence of<br> neonatal hypoglycaemia. Give prority, for mothers with no formal educational to enhancing<br> maternal education, mitigating in addressing intrapartum haemorrhage, close monitoring of<br> post-term pregnancies and neonate born post-term, SGA, and mothers with intrapartum<br> complications (intapartum hemorrhage) should have routine blood glucose screening of<br> hypoglycemia, to prevent neonatal hypoglycemia.<br> Keywords- Hypoglycemia, Determinants,Neonates, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, West Shoa