Migori County Referral Hospital_Gestational Age Data_Nov15-April16

Background: Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide and specifically in Kenya. Preterm birth is defined by gestational age (GA) less than 37 weeks, but GA estimates are questionable in the absence of the gold standard of early ultrasound. In Migori County, where the majority of women seek care at government facilities and do not receive ultrasound dating, the accuracy of the GA estimates, and therefore the preterm birth rates, is unknown.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 455 preterm births from Migori County Referral Hospital, a level-four government hospital in Western Kenya. Preterm birth was defined in this context as all babies less than 2500g and babies greater than 2500g with a last menstrual period (LMP) calculated GA of less than 37 weeks. GA estimates from both the maternity register and the individual inpatient chart were evaluated for data quality, agreement between measurements, and accuracy when compared to the INTERGROWTH...