article · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Low birth weight, defined as weighing under 2500 grams at birth, remains a key indicator of neonatal health, survival, and long-term development. An investigation involving 453 deliveries at Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital in Addis Ababa, comprising 151 cases and 302 controls, assessed maternal and socio-demographic factors associated with this outcome. By examining birth records and antenatal care files, significant links were identified between infant weight and specific maternal conditions. Women residing in rural areas, mothers working as merchants, those who experienced danger signs during pregnancy, and maternal weight during gestation were all determined to be significant factors. Addressing these elements requires comprehensive antenatal care strategies, focusing on nutritional support, maternal weight tracking, and prompt identification of pregnancy complications to reduce the incidence of low birth weight.
Low birth weight affects millions of infants globally and directly influences child survival, physical growth, and cognitive development. Identifying specific determinants, such as maternal nutrition, maternal occupation, and pregnancy complications, helps healthcare systems direct targeted clinical monitoring and nutritional interventions toward mothers at greatest risk of adverse birth outcomes.
The findings could inform the design of maternal health screening tools or clinical risk-assessment protocols for healthcare providers managing antenatal programmes. However, because this is an observational epidemiological study, the abstract does not indicate an immediate commercial application pathway or a direct technology readiness level.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
BACKGROUND: Low birth weight is weight less than 2500 g or 5.5 lb. at birth. Globally, more than 20 million infants (15-20%) are born with a low birth weight each year. Birth weight is the primary indicator of the health status of neonates and is the primary factor that determines the infant's physical, survival, and mental growth. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the determinants of low birth weight among newborn babies delivered at Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: We performed a facility-based unmatched case-control study among 453 (151 cases and 302 controls) deliveries conducted at Tirunesh Beijing General Hospital. Birth records and maternal antenatal care (ANC) files were reviewed from March 1 to April 30, 2019. Consecutive sampling was employed to select study participants. Data were entered into Epi-data version 4.2.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25 statistical software. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were computed to identify independent determinants of low birth weight. A p-value of ≤0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. RESULT: Four hundred fifty-three birth records of babies (151 cases and 302 controls) were reviewed. Women who reside in rural area [AOR (CI) = 3.12 (1.63-5.98)], being merchant [(AOR (CI) = 2.90 (1.03-8.22)], danger sign during pregnancy [(AOR (CI) = 4.14 (1.68-10.2)], and maternal weight during pregnancy [(AOR (CI) = 4.94 (3.26-7.52)] were found to be a significant determinants of low birth weight. CONCLUSION: Residence, occupation, danger signs, and maternal weight during pregnancy were significant determinants of low birth weight. Socioeconomic development, early detection and management of complications, and encouraging nutrition and weight during pregnancy are crucial for minimizing the risk of delivering low birth weight babies.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-04275-6
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
