Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with Low-Birth-Weight Neonates in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: A Case-Control Study

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is still a significant public health problem globally and is associated with a range of both short- and long-term consequences. Overall, it is estimated that 15% to 20% of all births worldwide are low birth weight, representing more than 20 million births a year.

Objective: We aimed the study to assess the risk factors associated with low-birth-weight neonates in a rural tertiary care hospital.

Methodology: A prospective observational Case-Control Study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dhiraj Hospital, Vadodara with the sample of 240 women who were admitted for the delivery. The patient interview was done based on the questionnaires (Proforma).

Results: Area of residence, Parent's education, Anaemia among pregnant women, Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) less than 23 cm, Maternal age, and antenatal visits <4 were found as significant risk factors associated with low birth weight in the study. Study findings suggest that 91.3% of cases were from rural areas compared to 71% of controls from the same area. Similarly, Anaemia though prevalent in both case and control groups was seen as a significant predictor more in the case group. Other factors such as parity, spacing between babies, and consumption of drugs and alcohol by pregnant others were also recorded but were protective of LBW.

Conclusions: The study concluded that delay age of first pregnancy, lacking iron/folic acid supplementation, not taking nutritional food during pregnancy, anemia and other factors were independently associated with LBW.