Abstract
Background. This study was done to assess the maternal and sociodemographic factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) babies. Methods. An unmatched case control study was done involving 159 cases (mothers having LBW singleton babies) and 159 controls (mothers having normal birth weight singleton babies). Results. More than 50% of LBW babies were from the mothers with height ≤145 cm while only 9.43% of NBW babies were from the mothers with that height. Finally, after multivariate logistic regression analysis, maternal height, time of first antenatal care (ANC) visit, number of ANC visits, iron supplementation, calcium supplementation, maternal education, any illness during pregnancy, and hypertension were found as the significant predictors of LBW. However, maternal blood group AB, normal maternal Body Mass Index (BMI), mother's age of 30 or more years, and starting ANC visit earlier were found to be protective for LBW. Conclusion. Study findings suggest that selectively targeted interventions such as delay age at first pregnancy, improving maternal education and nutrition, and iron and calcium supplementation can prevent LBW in Nepal.
Highlights
Low birth weight (LBW) has been defined by WHO as weight at birth of less than 2.5 kg [1]
The mothers who had their first antenatal care (ANC) in the third trimester of pregnancy were threefold (OR = 3.34, 95% CI: 1.14–9.78) more likely to give birth to low birth weight (LBW) neonates than the mothers who had their first ANC in the first trimester
The chance of having LBW babies was significantly higher in the mothers who had their first ANC in second trimester (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.03–2.63)
Summary
Low birth weight (LBW) has been defined by WHO as weight at birth of less than 2.5 kg [1]. Neonatal mortality is 20 times more likely for LBW babies compared to NBW babies (>2.5 kg) [4]. It is a well recognized fact that birth weight is a critical determinant of child survival, growth, and development, and a valuable indicator of maternal health, nutrition, and quality of life [5]. An unmatched case control study was done involving 159 cases (mothers having LBW singleton babies) and 159 controls (mothers having normal birth weight singleton babies). Study findings suggest that selectively targeted interventions such as delay age at first pregnancy, improving maternal education and nutrition, and iron and calcium supplementation can prevent LBW in Nepal
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