Risk factors for low birth weight: Results from a case-control study in southern Spain

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of several variables, including altitude of maternal residence, on delivering a low birth weight (LBW) newborn. A case-control study was done. Two hundred forty cases (single newborn weighing less than 2,500 g) and 374 controls (single newborn weighing more than 2,499 g) were included. Information was gathered from the clinical chart of delivering women, through a personal interview and the Spanish Census Bureau (for altitude). Predictors of LBW were assessed through stepwise logistic regression analysis. Several well-known LBW risk factors were identified: hypertension, weight gain during pregnancy, body size (mainly maternal prepregnancy weight), low social class, primiparity, and several conditions (spontaneous delivery, abruptio placentae). Altitude was an independent predictor of LBW at term (more than 37 weeks of gestational age) but not for preterm LBW. Nevertheless, a relationship between altitude and birth weight was not found in controls, although a moderate decreasing gradient with altitude was observed. The limitations of these findings are discussed.

Risk factors of low birth weight and effect of them on growth pattern of children up to sixth months of life: A cross-sectional study

“…In our study, mothers in first pregnancy had highest percentage of LBW children; this result is concomitant with Delgad et al 's work[12] in Brazil. Then in our study, first pregnancy was a strong risk factor that needs more attention by health system authorities.…”

“…In our study, similar to Eghbalian[12] and Minagawa[17] studies no relationship between LBW and mothers’ work was found while Choudhary et al , in India[18] resulted that 71.4% of mothers engaged as laborer gave birth to LBW babies as compared with others. Also they showed that duration of day-time rest taken by mothers of LBW newborns 76.5% belonged to mothers who took less than 1 h day-time rest as compared with only 7.1% newborns whose mothers took the rest for 90 min or more.…”

“…[1213] In the present study, we found that the prevalence of LBW was more in female rather than male children significantly. Studies by Delaram in Shehrekord[7] and Rafii in Arak[8] concluded similar results in Iran but Roudbari in Zahedan[14] did not find significant difference between gender and LBW prevalence.…”

Birth outcomes and risk factors in adolescent pregnancies: Results of a Taiwanese national survey

“…12 These factors include marital status, and lower educational and socioeconomic levels are also associated with LBW. 13 Lifestyle choices during pregnancy associated with LBW include smoking, low weight gain during pregnancy, late or insufficient prenatal care, alcohol consumption, drug use and psychosocial stress. 14,15 While the associations between smoking, small stature, some medical risks, and LBW are well-established, the evidence related to factors such as prenatal care, psychosocial stress and illicit drug use is mixed.…”

Birth Weight, Domestic Violence, Coping, Social Support, and Mental Health of Young Iranian Mothers in Tehran

“…The mother's weight gain during pregnancy, prepregnancy weight, low social class, prenatal care, and the mother's history of giving birth to an infant with LBW were independent predictors of LBW in babies born at term when comparing mothers of babies with LBW with mothers of control babies with normal weight in a Spanish investigation (Delgado-Rodriguez et al, 1998). In a study on 3293 pregnant women at term in India, maternal age, parity, and weight before pregnancy were significantly associated with birth weight (Dhall and Bagga, 1995).…”