Low Birth Weight Babies : Incidence and Risk Factors

Abstract

In a prospective hospital based study, during the period from Jan 95 to Dec 96, 3100 consecutively delivered live newborns were studied for the incidence of low birth weight neonates and to evaluate the associated risk factors. One thousand fourteen newborns were classified as low birth weight babies. The incidence expressed per 1000 live births was 327 (32.7%). Of these, 815 (80.4%) were small for gestational age neonates and 199 (19.6%) were preterm neonates. Five hundred seventy small for gestational age neonates (70%) were weighing between 2001 to 2500 gms. Mothers belonging to the age group of 19-25 years delivered the maximum number of low birth weight babies (618/1014) and ofthese 82.8% were small for gestational age neonates. There were 48 neonates with low birth weight born to mothers below the age of 18 years. Primiparous mothers were found to contribute higher number of low birth weight neonates (414/1014). Spacing as a factor did not show any major difference. Two hundred sixty two low birth weight neonates were born to mothers with significant obstetrical problems such as pregnancy induced hypertension, bad obstetrical history and premature rupture of membranes. The incidence of 32.7 % of low birth weight babies is high enough to ring alarm bells. ; 54: 191-195 MJAFII998

Prevalence and determinants of "low birth weight" among institutional deliveries

“…[9] In present study, maximum percentage of LBW babies was observed in two extreme of ages, i.e., below 20 and in mothers above 30 years of age. Findings of present study were comparable with the findings of Raman et al [10] and Negi et al, [11] who observed the similar relationship between age of mother and birth weight. It shows probability of LBW increases in two extreme of ages, i.e., below 20 and in mothers above 30 years of age.…”

Study on the factors associated with low birth weight among newborns delivered in a tertiary-care hospital, Shimoga, Karnataka

“…In this study, the maximum percentage of LBW babies were born to mothers with age <20 years (57.1%), which is comparable with the studies done by Agarwal et al, [5] Raman, [8] and Negi et al, [9] who also observed that the prevalence of LBW was more among mothers with age <20 years.…”

Prevalence of low birth weight and its associated factors: a community based cross sectional study in a rural area of Rohtak, Haryana, India

“…The results were consistent with various other studies who also observed that the prevalence of LBW was more among mothers with age <20 years. [12][13][14][15] Regarding the educational status, 80% of them were educated up to class 12 in the present study, similar findings were found in various other studies. 16,17 Majority of the study subjects were house wife's in the present study, similar results were obtained in study conducted by Kandhasamy et al 6 Majority of them belonged to class 3 SES in the present study, similar results were obtained in study conducted by Kandhasamy et al and Rajashree et al 6,12 This study found that around 60% of the study subjects had <2 ante natal visits which was similar to the findings of study conducted by Kandhasamy et al and Malik et al, where in those mothers who had received less than four ANC visits had a significant risk of having LBW.…”