TITLE:
Becoming Newborns of Mothers with Preeclampsia in the Neonatal Unit of the Community University Hospital Center of Bangui
AUTHORS:
Synthia Nazita Ningatoloum, Jess Eliot Kosh Komba, Simplice Cyriaque Kango, Iris Vanessa Gaspiet Sonny, Gertrude Kogboma, Alida Koirokpi, Esther Yenguere, Franck Houndjahoue, Richard Ngbale, Abdoulaye Sepou, Jean Chrysostome Gody
KEYWORDS:
Newborn, Preeclampsia, Bangui, CAR
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.3,
April
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Preeclampsia is one of the maternal conditions responsible for high neonatal morbidity and mortality. Newborns born to mothers with preeclampsia pose a public health problem in neonatal settings. Objective: The aim was to describe maternal characteristics, neonatal clinical profiles, and short-term outcomes. Patients and methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the Bangui Community University Hospital Center (January-March 2024). The records of newborns of mothers with preeclampsia were studied. Data were entered and analyzed using Excel and Stata/IC version 16.1 software. The Chi-square test was used to compare proportions at a threshold of 0.05. The odds ratio was estimated for each variable with a 95% confidence interval. Results: The prevalence of newborns of mothers with preeclampsia was 17.8% (85/478). The symptomatic detection of preeclampsia in mothers was 88.9%. The mean birth weight was 2100 g, ranging from 1050g to 4000g. The main diagnoses were prematurity (38.9%), perinatal asphyxia (21.2%), and intrauterine growth restriction (24.7%). The outcome was marked by recovery in 85.9% (73/85), referrals in 5.9% (5/85), and death in 8.2% (7/85). Gestational age ≤34 weeks, CPN