Predictors of Time to Full Enteral Feeding in Low Birth Weight Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a Multi Center Prospective Follow Up Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Survival of LBW and preterm infants has increased in recent years because of novel perinatal interventions, but optimal postnatal nutrition is lacking. In Ethiopia the proportion of preterm and low birth weight is thought to be 10.48% and 17.3% respectively. The purpose of this study was to determine the time to full enteral feeding (FEF) and its predictors in LBW neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit in selected hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method An institutional based prospective follow up study was conducted from March 15 to June 15, 2022 among 282 LBW neonates admitted to six randomly selected hospitals. Both primary and secondary data was used by direct interview mothers and prospective medical chart review of neonates. The Cox regression model was used variables having a p-value less than 0.05 with 95% CIs in a multivariable analysis were declared as statistically significant association with time to full enteral feeding. Result out of 282 neonates involved in this study, 211 (74.8%) of them reached at FEF. The overall median time to full enteral feeding was 5 days. Predictors significantly associated with time to full enteral feeding were educational level, birth weight, cesarean delivery, hospital acquired infection, being on antibiotics, age at initiation of trophic feeding, routine gastric residual evaluation and NICU location (hospital). Conclusions This study demonstrated that there is a delay in full enteral feeding achievement among preterm and low birth weight neonates and there is a great deal of heterogeneity of practice among health care providers regarding feeding of infants as it was evidenced by a variation in feeding practice among hospitals and preterm nutrition should be considered as part of the management in neonatal intensive care units.