Alpa Rathi1, Ajay Arya2, Nutan Singh3, Ritu Rakholia4, Ramesh5
BACKGROUND The purpose of this observational study was to study aetiological factors associated with low birth weight newborns.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study using data from women who had delivered their children at Dr. Susheela Tiwari Government Hospital. This study was conducted on 202 female patients. The newborns were divided into 2 categories based on birth weight as those with a birth weight of 2.5 kg and above and those with a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg based on gestational age. The data were collected by interviews with the mothers, abstraction of medical records and anthropometry.
RESULTS The incidence of Low Birth Weight (LBW) was higher in anaemic mothers with p value 0.026. 43% of women were primigravida in LBW while in Normal Birth Weight (NBW) there was 26%. In the study, 18% mothers were passive smoker in NBW babies and 34% mothers were passive smoker in LBW babies. Birth interval in NBW babies was 24.2 weeks (mean) and it was 20.1 weeks in LBW babies with p value 0.028.
CONCLUSION
Anaemia, short birth interval, passive smoking, low maternal age and primiparity are significant risk factors for LBW.
