Low birth weight and associated maternal factors in an urban area

Abstract

Objective: To study the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and its association with maternal factors.

Design: Cohort study.

Setting: Urban community.

Subjects: Cohort of 210 pregnant women.

Results: The LBW prevalence was 30.3%. On multivariate analyses the maternal factors significantly associated with LBW were anemia (OR-4.81), low socioeconomic status (OR-3.96), short birth interval (OR-3.84), tobacco exposure (OR-3.14), height (OR-2.78), maternal age (OR-2.68), body mass index (OR-2.02), and primiparity (OR 1.58).

Conclusions: Anemia, low socioeconomic status, short stature, short birth interval. Tobacco exposure, low maternal age, low body mass index, and primiparity are significantly risk factors for LBW.

PIP: The prevalence of low birth weight and its association with maternal factors was assessed in a 1994 study of 201 pregnant women from an urban area in Nagpur, India. 61 women (30.3%) delivered a low-birth-weight infant. Multivariate analysis identified the following maternal risk factors for a low-birth-weight delivery: anemia (odds ratio [OR], 4.81), low socioeconomic status (OR, 3.96), short birth interval (OR, 3.84), tobacco exposure (OR, 3.14), height (OR, 2.78), maternal age (OR, 2.68), body mass index (OR, 2.02), and primiparity (OR, 1.58). These findings suggest that a greater emphasis should be placed on encouraging adequate birth intervals, weight gain during pregnancy, avoidance of tobacco chewing and exposure to passive smoke, and prevention of adolescent pregnancy.