Low birth weight: Frequency and association of maternal factors

Objective: to find frequency of low birth weight (lbw) and maternal factors associated with it. place of study department of obstetrics and gynaecology,sir syed hospital (private teaching hospital) of sir syed college of medical and dental sciences for girls,karachi. methods and materials: a cross-sectional hospital based study,was undertaken in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of a private teaching hospital in karachi (pk) over a period of 2 years on 832 singleton live births. data of 832 mothers and their newborns was collected at the time of delivery either from mothers or their close attendants results: of 832 babies,95.3% were term,4.7% preterm and mean birth weight was 2900 ± 500 gm. there were 52.5% males and 47.5% females. 99 were lbw having frequency of rate 11.98%. in lbw babies,60 were term and 39 preterm (52 males and 47 females). statistics revealed,lack of antenatal care (p value = 0.0139),parity more than 1,anaemia (haemoglobin less than 10gm %),pregnancy induced hypertension (maternal bp systolic > 140mm of hg and diastolic > 90mm of hg),antepartum haemorrhage urinary tract infection in mothers were significant risk factors (p value(s) = 0.0000) while sex of baby and maternal age were not significant risk factors for lbw. conclusion: our findings indicate that parity,anaemia (haemoglobin less than 10 gm %),pih,aph,uti and lack of antenatal care in mothers were highly significant factors for lbw.