Author(s)

Loubna Doukkali¹, Fatima Zahra laamiri², Nada Bennani Mechita³, Laila Lahlou³, Mouna Habibi¹, Amina Barkat¹

¹Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, Research Team in Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
²Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Technical Health Morocco/ Research Team in Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition, Mohammed V University at Souissi, Rabat, Morocco.
³Laboratory of Biostatistics and Clinical Research and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Rabat, Morocco.

Background: Preterm birth is common in Morocco and it’s around 8%. Several management rules of taking care of preterm infants have been developed but have not been put into action. The geo-graphical inaccessibility to specialized hospitals and the weakness of the reception capacity of the care centers hinder the management of the complications associated with preterm birth. Purpose: The present study is designed to present some epidemiological data of preterm births within the Provincial Hospital Center of Missour during 2012 and to discuss the various problems emerging in the management of treatment and care. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study of preterm births in the maternity ward in the Hospital of Missour during 2012. Results: 37 preterm births among 1121 (3.3%) have been analyzed (51.3% severe premature infants, 45.9% late preterm infants and 2.7% extremely premature infants). 64.2% are originally from difficult areas to reach during winter. All mothers have received upon arrival at the maternity a corticosteroid and calcium antagonists (Adalate*) and an antibiotic treatment to those with a positive infectious anamnesis found in half of the women. We have recorded 3 twin pregnancies and 2 gravidic toxemias. Only 21 babies have been given back to their mothers (namely 56.7%). 5 premature infants (namely 13%) have been referred to the university hospital center of Fez (2 respiratory distress, a malformation and 2 severe premature births) given that there is an absence of a specialized care unit at the hospital, knowing that no baby has received neither surfactant nor caffeine at birth. 14 premature babies (namely 37.8%) have been transferred to the pediatric unit with a total death rate of 16.2% (6 premature) mainly related to neonatal infection and to suffering of the hyaline membranes disease. Conclusion: We emphasize the interest of prevention programs which demand an early diagnosis of preterm birth threats and monitoring high-risk pregnancies, improving the medical care given to low-weight premature by creating “Kangaroo” units at a regional level and the targeting of measures for rural and under-covered areas.

Premature Infant, Rural Area, Prevention, “Kangaroo Care”

Doukkali, L. , laamiri, F. , Mechita, N. , Lahlou, L. , Habibi, M. and Barkat, A. (2016) The Issue of Care Given to Premature Infants in the Provincial Hospital Center of Missour. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, 4, 76-88. doi: 10.4236/jbm.2016.45008.