Azimeraw Arega Tesfu

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is a public health concern globally. In low- and middle-income countries, like Ethiopia, preterm birth is under reported and underestimated. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the pooled prevalence and associated risk factors for preterm birth in Ethiopia. METHODS: In this review the databases used were PubMed, Google scholar, EMBASE, HINARI and African journal online. Publication bias was checked using a funnel plot and Eggers test. RESULTS: A total of 30 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of preterm birth in Ethiopia was 11.4% (95% CI; 9.04, 13.76). On pooled analysis, preterm birth was associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension being HIV-positive, premature rupture of membrane, rural residence, the mother having a history of abortion, multiple pregnancies, and anemia during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The national prevalence of preterm birth in Ethiopia was low. Early identifying those pregnant women who are at risk of the above determinants and proving quality healthcare and counsel them how to prevent preterm births, which decrease the rate of preterm birth and its consequences. So, both governmental and non-governmental health sectors work on the minimization of these risk factors.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the timely initiation of Antenatal Care and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics at Bahir Dar city, North West Ethiopia. DESIGN: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted. METHODS: Data were collected on 804 pregnant women from 20 February to 27 March 2017. Face-to-face interview through systematic sampling technique was applied. Binary logistic regression was performed using SPSS software version 21, and the level of significance of association was determined at p-value <0.05 with a 95%confidence interval. RESULTS: This study identified 44.2% of pregnant women started their first antenatal care timely. Maternal secondary and above level of education AOR = 7.07 (95% CI: 4.41, 11.35)), age at first pregnancy >18 years AOR = 2.77 (95% CI: 1.39, 5.57) and having information about the correct time of ANC booking AOR = 3.14 (95% CI: 1.67, 5.92) were significantly associated with timely commencement to first antenatal care.

Introduction: Anemia is characterized by a decline in the number or size of red blood cells and Hb concentration, which results in impairment capacity to transport oxygen. It is a major cause of indirect maternal mortality. Anemia is largely preventable and easily treatable, if detected in time; however, it remains one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to assess factors associated with anemia among pregnant women who attended antenatal care. Methods: A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 February 2020 to 2 March 2020 among 420 pregnant women. The data were collected by systematic random sampling technique, entered into a computer using EpiData 3.5, and analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences 23.0 version. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio with a CI of 95% and a P -value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Frequency tables, figures, and descriptive summaries were used to describe the study variables. Results: The overall prevalence of anemia was 32.9% (95% CI: 28.6–37.4), and it was higher in rural than urban pregnant women (45 vs. 23%), respectively. In multivariable analysis women who are found in the age group of greater than or equal to 30 years (AOR=3.45, 95% CI=1.22–9.78), rural residency (AOR=3.51, 95% CI=1.92–6.42), low family income (AOR=3.10, 95% CI=1.19–8.08), multiparty (AOR=2.91, 95% CI=1.33–6.38), a short interpregnancy gap (AOR 3.32, 95% CI=1.69–6.53), not taking iron and folate (AOR=4.83, 95% CI=2.62–9.90), third trimester of pregnancy (AOR=3.21, 95% CI=1.25–8.25), poor minimum dietary diversity score (AOR=3.54, 95% CI=1.58–7.95), undernourished (AOR=4.9, 95% CI=2.19–7.64), poor knowledge of anemia (AOR=3.19, 95% CI=1.72–5.93), consumption of coffee always after meal per day (AOR=3.24, 95% CI=1.42–7.42), having a history of irregular menstruation, and antepartum hemorrhage were significantly associated with anemia in pregnant women. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women in this study area was a moderate public health problem. The author suggest emphasizing the education and counseling of women on the advantage of taking the supplemented iron and folic acid. Health care providers should have to advise women to stay for at least 2 years before the next pregnancy to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Awareness creation in the community on the utilization of insecticide-treated bed nets is also needed.

BACKGROUND: World Health Organization states adolescents as persons whose age is between 10-19 years. In Ethiopia, sexual and reproductive health problems of adolescents are high. Parent-adolescent communication regarding sexual and reproductive health issues is important to reduce adolescent risky sexual behaviors. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the study was to assess adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues with parents and associated factors among secondary school students in Woreta town. METHOD: Institutional based cross sectional study was conducted among 360 students from March 25-29/2019. Simple random sampling technique was applied to select study participants. Data was collected by self-administered questionnaire. Data was entered into Epinfo7 and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics, bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were applied. Odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals and P values were calculated.Variables having P-value < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis were considered as determinant factors for adolescent-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues. RESULT: A total of 360 school adolescents were involved in the study making 100% response rate. One hundred ten (30.6%) of the students had communication with parents on at least 60% of topics of sexual and reproductive health issues. Being Grade 9 (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.4) and grade 10 students (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5), students who were knowledgeable on SRH issues (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.9-6.5) and students who accepted the benefit of communicating SRH issues with parents (AOR = 5.2, 95% CI: 1.9-13.7) were more likely to communicate on SRH issues. CONCLUSION: and Recommendation: Adolescent-parent communication on SRH issues was found to be low. The sexual and reproductive health knowledge of adolescents could be enhanced through participating them in different health clubs in school and outside school.

Anemia is a largely preventable and curable medical disease if detected intime. This study aimed to assess maternal knowledge of anemia and its prevention strategies in the public health facilities of Pawi district, Northwest, Ethiopia. A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1/2020 to March 2/2020, among 410 antenatal care attendees in the public health facilities of the Pawi district. The data was collected by systematic random sampling technique and analyzed using SPSS 25.0 version. Logistic regression analyses were done to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio with a CI of 95% and a P-value of less than .05 considered statistically significant. Less than half, 184 (44.9%) [95% CI = 40.0-49.8] and almost half, 216 (52.7%) [95% CI = 47.8-57.5] of the pregnant women had good knowledge of anemia and good adherence to its prevention strategies respectively. Women who are found in the age group of 15 to 19, 20 to 24, and 25 to 29 years, rural residency, secondary, and above educational level, vaginal bleeding, third trimester of pregnancy, and medium and high minimum dietary diversification score were significantly associated with knowledge of anemia. On the other hand: women who are found in the age group of 15 to 19 years, secondary above educational level, primigravida women, having ≤2 and 3 to 4 family sizes, second and third trimester of pregnancy, high minimum dietary diversification score, and good knowledge of anemia were significantly associated with adherence to anemia prevention strategies. Maternal knowledge of anemia and adherence to its prevention strategies were low. Nutritional counseling on the consumption of iron-rich foods and awareness creation on the effects of anemia in pregnant women must be strengthened to increase the knowledge of anemia and adherence to its prevention strategies.