Abstract
Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is linked with fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity; also it can slow down growth and cognitive development. Several factors contribute to pregnancy outcomes, including LBW deliveries, maternal nutrition, and additional dietary intake. Our study was aimed to identify the frequency and factors associated with LBW mothers in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out at the Obstetrics and Gynaecological Department of Hamdard Hospital, Karachi. A total of 195 healthy pregnant females were enrolled. All the relevant data were collected from March 1st, 2019 to August 31st, 2019 with the help of a structured questionnaire designed specifically for the study where mothers were also asked about consumption of iron, vitamin, and extra meals since they became pregnant. Written, informed consent was taken from all of the participants before data collection. Data analysis was performed using a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. A Chi-square test was used for checking associations between the studied maternal factors and the weight of the children. Results: There was a total of 195 pregnant females selected for the study. The frequency of LBW infants was found to be 57 (29.2%) in these women. The mean age of the females was 29.29 ± 5.22 years, 142 (72.8%) of them had a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 kg/m2 or more, 102 (52.3%) of them had hemoglobin (Hb) between 10 and 11 mg/dL. The study results further showed that maternal Hb (p=0.02), vitamin C intake (p=0.037), iron intake (p=0.01), and consumption of extra meals during pregnancy (p=0.021) were significantly associated with a LBW of the children. Mothers whose Hb <10 mg/dL, no intake of vitamin C, or iron, and extra meals during pregnancy were more likely to have a child with LBW than others.Conclusion: It can be concluded that maternal nutritional and dietary factors are very important during fetal development, and they have a significant relationship with the birth weight.
Highlights
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low birth weight (LBW) is defined as the first weight after birth which is less than 2500 g (5.5 pounds), resulting from preterm birth or due to intrauterine growth restriction or from both [1,2]
It can be concluded that maternal nutritional and dietary factors are very important during fetal development, and they have a significant relationship with the birth weight
Low birth weight (LBW) babies have 40 times more chances to die within the first 30 days of life as compared to those with normal birth weight (NBW); so considering its importance, LBW has been used as an important health indicator of a public health problem as per directives of WHO, because it reflects the malnutrition and metabolic conditions of the mother, as well as poor health care at population level during pregnancy, it is the strongest predictor of newborn health and survival [1, 5,6,7]
Summary
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low birth weight (LBW) is defined as the first weight after birth which is less than 2500 g (5.5 pounds), resulting from preterm birth (birth before 37 completed weeks) or due to intrauterine growth restriction or from both [1,2]. A condition in South Asia is worse due to low socioeconomic status (SES), and poor health care during pregnancy; as the global estimate is 18 million babies born per year with LBW and 9.3 million (50% of total) of them belong to South Asia [2]. Pakistan has made some progress in achieving Millennium Development Goals with a frequency of 12%-25%, in Lahore 21%, and in Karachi 29% babies born with LBW by the year 2017 and 2018, respectively [8,9,10]. Low birth weight (LBW) is linked with fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity; it can slow down growth and cognitive development. Our study was aimed to identify the frequency and factors associated with LBW mothers in Karachi, Pakistan
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