Abstract:
Background: In neonatal period, babies are extremely vulnerable to a variety of diseases and
conditions. The hematopoietic system is one of the systems that can be affected during neonatal
period. In sub-saharan Africa, the burden of neonatal anemia ranges from 23 to 66%. Blood loss,
RBC destruction and decreased RBC production are the threes general causes of anemia in
neonates. Thrombocytopenia is also a common clinical problem in neonatal intensive care unit
(NICU), affecting about 20 to 35% of all admitted neonate.
Objective: To assess the hematological abnormalities and associated factors among neonates
admitted to NICU in Assosa General Hospital, from February 01 to July 27 2022.
Method: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 175 neonates
admitted to NICU at Assosa General Hospital. A consecutive sampling technique was used to
select study participants. Data was collected using structured questionnaire. One ml of venous
blood was collected in EDTA microtainer tube for complete blood count performed by Sysmex
XN-550 hematological analyser. Blood smear was prepared for peripheral morphology
examination. Data was entered into Epidata version 3.1 and exported in to SPSS version 20 for
analysis. ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U-test and logistic regression model
were used during data analysis. P-values <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Result: The overall magnitude of anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, and leukopenia in
this study was 29.1%, 20.6%, 11.4%, and 4%, respectively. Caesarean mode of delivery (AOR=
3.11; 95% CI: 1.26-7.68) and house hold monthly income below 2850ETB (AOR= 2.63; 95%
CI: 1.05–6.63) were found to be associated with anemia in neonate. Sepsis in clinical
characteristics of neonate (AOR= 7.23; 95% CI: 1.18–44.16) was a factor significantly
associated with leukocytosis.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated the predominant existence of anemia, thrombocytopenia
and leucocytosis in neonate admitted to neonatal intensive care unit. Therefore, early diagnosis,
monitoring and intervention for hematological abnormalities are required to prevent mortality
and long-term implications.
