Incidence of low birth weight among single live birth neonates and influencing factors in Shaanxi

Abstract

To analyze the incidence of low birth weight among single live birth neonates and identify the influencing factors in Shaanxi province. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the childbearing aged women selected through multi stage stratified random sampling in Shaanxi during 2010-2013, all of these childbearing aged women were in pregnancy or had definite pregnancy outcomes. A total of 28 164 childbearing aged women and their infants were investigated. The overall incidence of low birth weight among the single live birth neonates surveyed was 3.4% during 2010-2013 (4.1% in 2010, 4.4% in 2011, 3.1% in 2012, 2.6% in 2013, respectively). The incidence of the low birth weight was 3.8% in southern Shaanxi, 3.4% in northern Shaanxi and 3.2% in central area of Shaanxi. The incidence of the low birth weight was 2.5% in urban area and 3.6% in rural area. Compared with the low birth weight incidence of 2.6% in full-term infant, the low birth weight incidence was 32.0% in preterm infants. The results of logistic regression analysis suggested that being female infant (OR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.36-1.81), preterm delivery (OR=18.28, 95% CI: 15.23-21.96), lower educational level of mothers (OR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.06-1.52), antenatal care times <4 (compared with 4-7, OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.14-1.63), antenatal care times ≥ 8 (compared with 4-7, OR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.48-2.29), gestational hypertension (OR=3.07, 95% CI: 2.12-4.43), being multipara (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41), taking no folic acid during pregnancy (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.12-1.52) were risk factors for the low birth weight of neonate. The incidence of low birth weight among single live birth neonates was in decline in Shaanxi. The incidence of the low birth weight was higher in rural area than in urban area. The incidence of the low birth weight was lower than national level. Being female neonate, preterm delivery, lower education level of mothers, irregular antenatal care, gestational hypertension, being multipara, taking no folic acid during pregnancy were the risk factors for low birth weight of neonates.