Neonatal mortality in Ethiopia: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background:

• Neonatal period (first 28 days) carries the highest risk of child mortality.
• Newborn deaths constitute nearly half of all under-five deaths globally.
• Over 80% of newborn deaths stem from preventable and treatable conditions, yet neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in Ethiopia remains high at 41% of under-five deaths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the magnitude of neonatal mortality in Ethiopia.
• To identify the primary causes of newborn deaths in Ethiopia.
• To ascertain the key determinants influencing neonatal mortality in Ethiopia.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, etc.) and grey literature.
• Quality assessment of identified studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
• Data extraction and critical appraisal by two independent reviewers, with pooled estimates and determinants analyzed using STATA 11.

Main Results:

• Pooled estimates of neonatal mortality magnitude.
• Identification of significant causes contributing to newborn deaths.
• Determination of key factors and determinants associated with neonatal mortality.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review and meta-analysis provides crucial, up-to-date knowledge on neonatal mortality in Ethiopia.
• Findings will guide health policy planners and researchers in addressing the burden of newborn deaths.
• This represents the first comprehensive systematic review on neonatal mortality in Ethiopia.