A study of epidemiological factors affecting low birth weight

Year 2013, Volume: 18 Issue: 1, 13 - 15, 02.05.2013

Humera Hayat Parwez Sajad Khan Gazala Hayat Rehana Hayat

Abstract

Abstract. About half of all deaths in perinatal period aredirectly or indirectly related to low birth. A multifactorialinter-relationship exists between the pregnant mother’s environment and growthof fetus. There are numerous factors associated with low birth weight and ifthese factors are detected early and addressed properly, the low birth weightand the consequences thereof can be reduced. Toidentify the epidemiological factors affecting low birth weight in our set up.Thisa cross sectional study. August 2010 to July 2011. Atotal of 500 recently delivered mothers with alive born babies.Chi-square test was used in statistical analyses. Maternal age, socioeconomic and educational status,interpregnancy interval and number of antenatal visits along with maternal anemia,hypertension and urinary tract infection, during pregnancy were significantlyassociated with low birth weight. Proper health education along withover all socioeconomic development, are the very important steps to be taken todecrease the incidence of low birth weight.Key words: Low birth weight, epidemiological factors, morbid factors

Keywords

Low birth weight, epidemiological factors, morbid factors

References

• Gazi R, Karim F, Ali A. Low birth weight was the major predictor of infant deaths: Evidence from a prospective study in rural Bangladesh. Brac Research Annual report. 2001.
• State of world children, UNICEF-2004, available at http://www.unicef.org/publications/ index.html. Chaudari S, Kulkarni S, Pandit A, Desmukh S. Mortality and morbidity in high risk infants during six year follow up. Indian Pediatr 2000; 37: 131413
• National Family Health Survey (NFHS-II) 1998 International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and Operational Research Center (ORC): Mumbai; 2000. pp. 299.
• Deshpande Jayant D, Phalke DB, Bangal VB, D Peeyuusha, Bhatt Sushen. Maternal risk factors for low birth weight neonates: a hospital based casecontrol study in rural area of western maharashtra, India. National Journal of Community Medicine 2011; 2 (3):394-398.
• Negi KS, Kandpal SD, Kukreti M. Epidemiological factors affecting low birth weight. JK Science 2006; 8: 31-34.
• Kamaladoss T, Abel R, Sampathkumar V. Epidemiological correlates of low birth weight in rural Tamil Nadu. Ind J Paed 1992; 59: 209-304. Matin A, Azimul SK, Matiur AKM, Shamianaz S, Shabnam JH, Islam T. Maternal socioeconomic and nutritional determinants of low birth weight in urban area of Bangladesh. J Dhaka Med Coll. 2008; 17: 83-87.