Newborn birth weight in normal pregnancy in rural Telangana

Abstract

Introduction: Newborn birth weight is a major indicator of health. Although it is influenced by many conditions that affect maternal and feto-placental units, several sociocultural, religious, and geographical factors cannot be ignored. Considering this, the present study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Khammam, Telangana to determine the average birth weight in normal pregnancy at term. Materials and Methods: All the babies, born following normal pregnancy from January 2013 to June 2015, were included in this study to establish their birth weight. Babies born without being affected by any factor influencing fetal weight were considered for the study. Some exclusion criteria such as short maternal height and teenage pregnancy were considered in this study. Results: There were 633 cases in the study group, out of which 226 were primipara and 407 were multipara. Average birth weight for all cases was 2790 g. Average birth weight for the first born babies was 2770 g, whereas in later born, it was 2800 g. Average birth weight of male newborn babies was 2860 g, whereas it was 2710 g for female newborn babies. Conclusion: Abnormal birth weight leads to many complications, both immediate and remote. However, to predict and manage such complications, one must know the average newborn birth weight. This study is the first of its kind in rural Telangana.