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. 2021 Sep 10;16(9):e0256518.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256518. eCollection 2021.

Incidence of low birth weight in Mexico: A descriptive retrospective study from 2008-2017

Mónica Ancira-Moreno  1   2 , Eric Monterrubio-Flores  2   3 , Sonia Hernández-Cordero  1   2   1 , Isabel Omaña-Guzmán  2   4 , Isidro Soloaga  2   5 , Fabián Torres  2   6 , Moisés Reyes  2   5   7 , Yohali Burrola-Mendez  8   9 , Ariana Morales-López  10
Affiliations

Incidence of low birth weight in Mexico: A descriptive retrospective study from 2008-2017

Mónica Ancira-Moreno et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

According to the WHO, low birth weight (LBW) affects 15-20% of newborns worldwide. In Mexico, there are no national, state, nor municipal estimates that inform the country's situation over time. The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of LBW at the national, state, and municipal levels from 2008 to 2017, and to estimate the LBW incidence based on maternal sociodemographic characteristics, prenatal care and marginalization indexes at the national level using open national data. We used spatial data analysis to georeferenced LBW incidence at the three levels of geographical disaggregation studied. At the national level, the incidence of LBW increased progressively from 6.2% (2008) to 7.1% (2017), and the country's capital represented the area with the highest incidence. Southeastern and central states reported the highest LBW regional incidence. At the municipal level, the number of municipalities with an incidence of LBW ≥8% increased in both male and female newborns. The incidence of LBW was higher as the marginalization indexes increases. The results from this study may assist in the identification of vulnerable groups and the development of public health programs and policies with an intersectoral approach that improves maternal and child nutrition.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
a. LBW incidence in males from 2008 to 2017. b. LBW incidence in females from 2008 to 2017.
Fig 2
Fig 2
a. LBW incidence in live births in Mexico in males, 2008. b. LBW incidence in live births in Mexico in females, 2008. c. LBW incidence in live births in Mexico in males, 2017. d. LBW incidence in live births in Mexico in females, 2017.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Change in LBW incidence between 2008 and 2017, at national and state levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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