Prevalence of low birth weight and its associated factors: Hospital based cross sectional study in Nepal

Abstract

Low birth weight is still an important public health problem worldwide. It is a major contributor to neonatal death in developing countries, including Nepal. The government of Nepal has developed and implemented different programs to improve maternal and neonatal health, including baby’s birth weight. However, low birth weight is a major maternal and child health challenge. Maternal factors determining the birth weight of neonates have been poorly assessed in previous studies in Nepal. Thus, this study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with low birth weight in Nepal. An institution-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Paropakar Maternity Hospital and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital of Kathmandu district among 308 postnatal mothers. The data was collected through the face-to-face interview technique. The data was entered in EpiData 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package and Service Solutions version 21 for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to obtain an adjusted odds ratio, while p-value < 0.05 with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was considered significant. The findings showed that 15.3% of the children had low birth weight. The mean and standard deviation of childbirth weight was 2.96±0.59 kg. Mothers belonged to Dalit ethnic (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.2–7.1), Antenatal Care visited three or fewer (AOR = 2.6, 95%CI = 1.0–6.6) and did not comply with Iron and Folic Acid supplementation (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.0–4.4) were significantly associated with low birth weight. Nearly one in every six children had low birth weight. Maternal health services such as antenatal care and compliance with a recommended dose of maternal micronutrients significantly impact on birth weight. Maternal and neonatal health programs should consider these factors to reduce adverse birth outcomes in Nepal.

The Prevalence of Low Birth Weight Among Newborn Babies and Its Associated Maternal Risk Factors: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

“…In the present study, a high percentage of LBW babies were born when the mother had not taken iron and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. Similar findings were reported in a study from Nepal, which found that iron and folic supplementation and the number of antenatal visits were associated with LBW [30].…”

Risk Factors of Low-Birth-Weight Baby in Indonesia

“…There was a significant association between adherence to iron-folate supplementation and infant birth weight. Low iron intake leads to poor delivery of iron to the fetus, interferes with the proper hormonal and neural regulation of pregnancy and poor oxygenation of the fetus, and can lead to poor growth of the fetus in the uterus due to insufficient oxygen flow to the placental tissue, and finally, affect fetal birth weight of the fetus and cause LBW W [15]. Similar to Peng et al In 2022, the association and nonlinear relationship between maternal Hb and birth weight in the first, late second, early third and late third trimesters of pregnancy will reveal the increased neonatal risk-LBW connection.…”

Advances in uremic toxin detection and monitoring in the management of chronic kidney disease progression to end-stage renal disease

“…1 This prevalence highlights the urgent need for effective diagnosis and management of CKD, especially given projections that CKD may become one of the top five causes of death worldwide by 2040. 2,3 In addition to being associated with an aging population, CKD is closely linked to several comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. Of note, diabetes and hypertension are among the most significant comorbidities, and the prevalence of CKD in people with these conditions may be as high as 35-40% (Fig.…”