[Do maternal social factors, health behavior and work conditions during pregnancy increase the risk of low birth weight in Lithuania?].

UNLABELLED

The objective of the paper was to evaluate the importance of maternal social factors, health behavior (smoking, alcohol drinking and drug abuse) and working conditions on incidence of low birth weight (LBW).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Statistical analysis was performed utilizing database of Medical Birth Registry for the years 1995-1998 using the indicators of maternal social factors, health behavior and working conditions. Statistical analysis was carried out using statistical package SPSS 10.0.

RESULTS

During 1995-1998 the incidence of LBW (< 2500 g) was 3.6 per cent. Young (< 20 years) and older (> or = 35 years) maternal age, low (primary or basic) education and "lone mother" status (single, divorced or widowed) increased the risk of delivering LBW baby. The odds ratio of smoking mothers to deliver LBW baby was 3.3. Odds ratios of LBW newborns associated with alcohol drinking and drug abuse were 10.3 and 6.1 respectively. The odds ratio of mothers physically abused during pregnancy to deliver LBW baby was 2.7. However, the harmful working conditions were not associated with the higher odds of LBW. Young and older age was attributable for 22.2 and 49.3 per cent LBW cases in the exposed group respectively. While attributable fraction in exposed due to the low educational level and unfavourable marital status accounted to 38.9 and 52.9 per cent LBW cases respectively. Smoking was attributable for 68 per cent LBW cases, alcohol drinking--87.2 per cent, drug abuse--80.5 per cent LBW cases among exposed mothers. Preventable population attributable risk for unfavourable marital status was 11.7 per cent, low education--9 per cent, smoking--8 per cent, older age--6.9 per cent. Drug abuse and hard manual work had minimal association while harmful working conditions were not associated with higher risk to deliver the LBW baby in the total population.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal health behavior peculiarities and hard manual work are related to newborns' birth weight, and medical professionals should encourage quitting the hazardous habits and regulation of workload for expectant mothers. Adverse social factors contribute to the higher incidence of LBW. The solution of social problems should become the priority of State health policy.