Modeling Maternal Factors for Predicting Birth Outcomes in Ghana

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the various maternal and neonatal factors that influence birth outcomes. Maternal and neonatal factors are key determinants of birth outcomes and the health of a newborn baby is very crucial in the first six months of the baby’s life. Neonatal mortality and low birth weight are worrying problems for stakeholders in the health sector. Logistic regression and multilevel regression were used to study various factors that influence birth outcomes. Secondary data was therefore collected from the War Memorial Hospital, Navrongo for the purpose of the study. The results show that weight, birth weight, gestation weeks and hemoglobin were observed as significant risk factors for birth outcomes whilst age, weight, hemoglobin, mode of delivery and gestation weeks were identified as significant factors that influence birth weight. The study identified weight, hemoglobin, birth weight, gestation weeks and age as factors that influence birth outcomes in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality.