A Study on the Risk Profile of Postnatal Women with Low Birth Weight Babies

Abstract

A descriptive retrospective cross -sectional study using existing data from a one-year birth registers of 6928 postnatal women was done at District McGann hospital, Shimoga, India. The objective was to study the risk profile of the mothers who delivered low birth weight (LBW) babies and their contribution to the problem. Mothers without formal education were 4 times more likely to give birth to LBW neonates than those who had attained higher education. There was a linear decrease in low birth weights of newborns as fraternal educational level increased. There was no statistically significant difference among parents' occupations regarding LBW of their newborns. Unmarried mothers were more likely to give birth to LBW babies as compared to their married counterparts and the difference was statistically significant. Hypertension, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia disease complex had the highest prevalence and population attributable risk of low birth weight. Other complications and diseases which contributed to high prevalence of LBW included anaemia, thromboembolic diseases, tuberculosis, malaria and other infections. Prevalence of LBW was high in women with premature rupture of membrane, placenta praevia and abruption of placenta. LBW was strongly associated with gestational age below 37 weeks and also with malnutrition. There was a statistical significant difference between the proportions of LBW infants from mothers who did not receive antenatal care and those who attended for the services. There is need of increasing promotion of reproductive health services in relation to safe motherhood at community level in order to reduce risk factors of LBW.