Risk Factors Associated with Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis

Abstract

Introduction: The neonatal sepsis represents a challenge for specialists since the delay in diagnosis and treatment can lead to important sequelae in the newborn, mainly in premature and underweight patients.
Objective: To identify risk factors for the mother and the infant to develop the early-onset neonatal sepsis.
Methods: A descriptive retrospective study was carried out in new-borns who were admitted in the ICUs at Guanabacoa Maternity Hospital, in Havana, from January 1st 2016 to December 31 2018 diagnosed with early-onset sepsis. We assessed the possible risks factors for both the mother and the infant, such as Methods: A descriptive, retrospective study is carried out in newborns who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Guanabacoa Gyneco-Obstetric Hospital, in Havana, from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018, diagnosed with early onset sepsis. One hundred four newborns made up the sample. The possible maternal risk factors evaluated were time to rupture of membranes, maternal infections, characteristics of delivery, history of newborns with sepsis. For neonatal risk factors, we evaluated sex, weight and gestational age and causative germs.
Results: Vaginal infection in the mother was present in 75%. 90.4% of the newborns, two or more maternal risk factors predominated. Most of the newborns had good weight (53.8%) at birth and they were born at term (66.4%). Microorganisms were isolated in 28.8% of those with two or more risk factors. Staphylococcus aureus was the germ that predominated in 20.2% of the cases.
Conclusions: In most newborns, early sepsis was not proven by microbiological studies. Vaginal infection was identified as a maternal risk factor. Low weight and the preterm newborns were not directly related to sepsis.