OBJECTIVES: to investigate the relationship between the interpregnancy interval and low birth weight and other pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: this case-control study was carried out in hospitals from January 2010 to April 2011. For cases, mothers of 1216 newborns with birth weight<2500 g were approached and 854 mothers participated (70.2%). For controls, mothers of 1158 newborns with >2500 g were approached and 854 mothers participated in this study (73.7%). Face-to-face interviews were conducted to complete the questionnaires. RESULTS: of the newborn babies with low birth weight, the risk was higher among mothers with a short interpregnancy interval (40.3%), whereas for infants with normal birth weight, the majority of the mothers had a longer interpregnancy interval of 24 months (44.7%). A short interpregnancy interval of 612 months was more common among women of <25years (49.4%; p<0.001) and those who were illiterate (13.1%; p=0.043) with a higher risk of low birth weight compared to the controls. Prenatal care during the 1st trimester was lower in women with low birth weight children (p<0.001). Normal delivery was observed less in women with a short birth interval among cases (58.7%) compared to controls (79%) (p=0.001). A J-shaped association was observed between low birth weight and the interpregnancy interval. CONCLUSIONS: a short interpregnancy interval is associated with an increased risk of low birth weight, especially in younger and illiterate women.

Objective:The objective of the study was to examine maternal complications that occur during the third trimester and their neonatal outcome in Arab women residing in Qatar.Design:This is a prospective hospital-based study.Setting:The survey was carried out in women's hospital.Materials and Methods:The study was based on the log book of the women's hospital, from which we recruited women in their third trimester of pregnancy between the first week of January 2010 and April 2011. Of the 1 824 Arab women who were approached to participate in the study, 1 432 (78.5%) consented. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the pregnant women in the third trimester attending routine antenatal clinics at a women's hospital. The questionnaire covered variables related to sociodemographic factors, family history, medical history, maternal complications, and neonatal outcome. Medical records of the patients were referred to collect the clinical variables.Results:Of the pregnant women studied, 39.8% were less than 30 years of age. The risk of maternal complications was higher in housewives (60.8%) and women with a low monthly household income (38.2%). Most of the pregnant women (77.6%) had antenatal care. Normal delivery (69.7%) was more common in expatriate Arab women, whereas caesarean was more prevalent in Qatari women (22.2%). Women aged 35 years or older had a significantly higher risk of maternal complications such as gestational diabetes (20.8% vs 13.4%; P < 0.01), gestational hypertension (21.6% vs 15.2%; P = 0.003), and ante-partum hemorrhage (17.9% vs 13.7%; P = 0.042) than younger women. Gestational diabetes increased the risk of caesarean delivery (25.1%) and macrosomia (42.3%). The frequency of caesarean delivery (22.1%) was higher in women with gestational hypertension. Neonatal complications such as Apgar score (<7) 1 minute (33.1% vs 21.2%; P < 0.001), 5 minutes (13.1% vs 8.2%; P = 0.005), and congenital anomalies (2.9% vs 0.9%; P = 0.007) were significantly higher in newborns of older women. Low birth weight (11.1%) and Apgar 1st minute < 7 rate (28.2%) were higher in newborns of mothers with ante-partum hemorrhage.Conclusion:The study findings revealed that maternal complications such as gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, ante-partum hemorrhage, and maternal anemia were significantly higher in older pregnant women. Similarly, neonatal complications were higher in the newborns of older women. Gestational hypertension was the leading maternal complication observed in Arab women.

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