Pooled Prevalence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and its associated factors in Ethiopia: A Systematic review and Meta-analysis

<ns3:p>Background Many primary articles in Ethiopia approach the prevalence and factors associated with respiratory distress syndrome, but discrepancies were seen among those articles. This study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence and factors associated with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in Ethiopia. Methods Primary studies were searched using different data sources. Thirteen primary studies were included. The data were extracted using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and exported to Stata version 14 for analysis. Publication bias was confirmed using Egger’s regression test. Results This study included thirteen primary articles that met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of respiratory distress syndrome in Ethiopia was 30.28%. Neonates with birth weights less than 1500gm and preterm neonates had a significant factor for respiratory distress syndrome. Conclusion We found a high pooled prevalence of respiratory distress syndrome. Thus, to reduce this problem, the relevant body should put special emphasis on the variables mentioned above.</ns3:p>