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Objective: Neonatal mortality is a major health problem in sub-Saharan Africa and the risk factors are not well established. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for neonatal mortality at the Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital. Methods: We conducted a retrospective and analytic case-control study from the medical records of newborns admitted at the neonatal unit of this hospital between 1st March 2003 and 31st December 2012. 850 subjects were enrolled; that is 425 cases and 425 controls. Findings : The intra-hospital neonatal mortality rate was 9.83%. The main causes of neonatal mortality were in descending order: neonatal sepsis (60.2%), complications from prematurity (42.6%), birth asphyxia (37.4%), and congenital malformations (11.8%).The most prominent risk factors for neonatal mortality after multivariate analysis with logistic regression were: prolonged membrane rupture (OR: 3.8719, 95% CI: 2.3619-6.3471; P=0.0000), low birth weight (OR: 1.6240, 95% CI: 1.0108-2.6091; P=0.0450), Apgar score less than 7 at the 5th minute (OR: 6.8979, 95% CI: 4.0709-11.6883; P=0.0000), and congenital malformations (OR: 4.3307, 95% CI: 1.6120-11.6347; P=0.0037). Delivery by cesarean section (OR: 0.2644, 95% CI: 0.1478-0.4732; P=0.0000) and being born in this hospital (OR: 0.4409;95% CI: 0.2566-0.7576; P=0.0030) were protective. Conclusion: Neonatal mortality was influenced by both maternal and neonatal factors. This could be reduced through sensitization of pregnant women on the need of good quality antenatal visits, and capacitating the health personnel on the adequate management of high risk neonates.

Objective The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4 million children are born with asphyxia every year, of which 1 million die and an equal number survive with severe neurologic sequelae. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors of birth asphyxia and the hospital outcome of affected neonates. Materials & Methods This study was a prospective case-control study on term neonates in a tertiary hospital in Yaounde, with an Apgar score of < 7 at the 5th minute as the case group, that were matched with neonates with an Apgar score of ≥ 7 at the 5th minute as control group. Statistical analysis of relevant variables of the mother and neonates was carried out to determine the significant risk factors. Results The prevalence of neonatal asphyxia was 80.5 per 1000 live births. Statistically significant risk factors were the single matrimonial status, place of antenatal visits, malaria, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, prolonged labor, arrest of labour, prolonged rupture of membranes, and non-cephalic presentation. Hospital mortality was 6.7%, that 12.2% of them had neurologic deficits and/or abnormal transfontanellar ultrasound/electroencephalogram on discharge, and 81.1% had a satisfactory outcome. Conclusion The incidence of birth asphyxia in this study was 80.5% per1000 live birth with a mortality of 6.7%. Antepartum risk factors were: place of antenatal visit, malaria during pregnancy, and preeclampsia/eclampsia. Whereas prolonged labor, stationary labor, and term prolonged rupture of membranes were intrapartum risk faktors. Preventive measures during prenatal visits through informing and communicating with pregnant women should be reinforced.

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for preterm births in the Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital in Cameroon, and to describe their outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study of hospital records over eight years. The incidence of prematurity was 26.5 % of admissions over a period of 7 years 7 months. After controlling for confounding factors, we identified attending antenatal care visits in a health centre (Odds ratio [OR] 6.19; 95% Confidence interval [CI]1.15-33.22; p=0.033), having a urinary tract infection (OR 39.04; 95% CI 17.19-88.62; p

Introduction L’epilepsie est une maladie chronique caracterisee par la repetition chez un sujet des crises epileptiques. Peu d’etudes ont ete realisees sur l’epilepsie focale de l’enfant au Cameroun. Objectifs L’objectif de cette etude etait de determiner les aspects clinique, etiologique et therapeutique de l’epilepsie focale chez les enfants recus en consultation afin d’ameliorer la prise en charge. Patients et methodes Nous avons realise une etude transversale descriptive dans l’unite de neuropediatrie de l’hopital gyneco-obstetrique et pediatrique de Yaounde. Les patients âges de 0–16 ans repondant aux criteres d’inclusion etaient recrutes de facon consecutive et systematique de septembre 2011 a fevrier 2012. Resultats Nous avons recrute 218 enfants dont l’âge moyen etait de 8 ans. Le sex-ratio etait de 1,3:1 en faveur des garcons. Les crises debutaient majoritairement avant 5 ans (59 %). L’electroencephalogramme trouvait un foyer epileptique chez 74 % des patients le plus souvent centrotemporal (20 %). Le resultat du scanner etait pathologique chez 57 % des patients. Les facteurs de risques etaient principalement des antecedents familiaux d’epilepsie. La carbamazepine etait le medicament de choix dans le traitement. Discussion L’epilepsie focale constitue la forme la plus frequente d’epilepsie dans le monde. Le foyer centrotemporal correspond a la forme d’epilepsie focale idiopathique le plus frequente (epilepsie a paroxysme rolandique). Les antecedents familiaux sont tres souvent retrouves et la carbmazepine constitue le traitement de choix. Conclusion L’epilepsie focale est un probleme de sante publique et doit constitue une priorite pour les institutions de sante et pour les etats.