Afaya Agani, Afaya Richard Adongo, Azongo Thomas Bavo, Yakong Vida Nyagre, Konlan Kennedy Diema, Agbinku Ethel, Agyabeng-Fandoh Eric, Akokre Renna, Karim Jebuni Fuseini, Salia Solomon Mohammed, Kaba Robert Alhassan, Ayanore Martin Amogre
College of Nursing, Yonsei University, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
Heliyon. 2021 May 1;7(5):e06962. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06962. eCollection 2021 May.
Over the past decade, the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) in sub-Saharan Africa has not seen any decline and this is a matter of grave concern for healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence of LBW and related maternal risk factors (during pregnancy or delivery) as well as neonatal outcomes.
An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study design was employed to select 1,017 mothers who delivered in the study hospital from January to December 2017 with singleton newborn babies without congenital diseases. Data were analysed using STATA version 14.1 (StataCorp. 2015. . College Station, TX: Stata Corp LP). Chi-square test of independence was used to test the association between the dependent variable (LBW) and risk factors of LBW. Bivariate and multivariable unconditional logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with LBW.
The incidence of LBW was 23.7%. The findings show that being married has a protective effect on LBW [AOR = 0.60 (95%CI: 0.40-0.90), p = 0.013] compared to single mothers. Neonates born between gestational age of 37-42 weeks had 85% lower odds of LBW [AOR = 0.15, (95%CI: 0.10-0.24), p < 0.001)]. Neonates with LBW had a higher risk of low Apgar score in the first minute compared to neonates with normal birth weight [AOR = 0.52 (95%CI: 0.37-0.73), p < 0.001]. Female neonates had 64% higher odds of LBW compared to their male counterparts [AOR = 1.64 (95%CI: 1.19-2.24), p = 0.002].
This study revealed a high incidence of LBW. Women's marital status (single mothers), gestational age (<37 weeks), neonatal sex (female), are independent risk factors associated with LBW, while a higher risk of an Apgar score of less than 7 in the first minute was an independent outcome of low birth weight births. The current study findings contribute to the growing literature on the influence of maternal and neonatal factors on LBW in resource-constrained settings. These findings could guide healthcare providers, hospital administrators, stakeholders, and policymakers to develop and implement appropriate clinical and public health strategies aimed at reducing LBW.
在过去十年中，撒哈拉以南非洲地区低出生体重（LBW）的发生率并未下降，这是医疗服务提供者、政策制定者和研究人员极为关注的问题。因此，本研究旨在评估低出生体重的发生率以及相关的孕产妇风险因素（孕期或分娩期间）和新生儿结局。
采用基于机构的回顾性横断面研究设计，选取2017年1月至12月在研究医院分娩的1017名母亲，其单胎新生儿无先天性疾病。使用STATA 14.1版（StataCorp. 2015. 德克萨斯州大学站：Stata公司）对数据进行分析。使用独立性卡方检验来检验因变量（低出生体重）与低出生体重风险因素之间的关联。采用双变量和多变量无条件逻辑回归来确定与低出生体重相关的因素。
低出生体重的发生率为23.7%。研究结果表明，与单身母亲相比，已婚对低出生体重有保护作用[AOR = 0.60（95%CI：0.40 - 0.90），p = 0.013]。孕龄在37 - 42周之间出生的新生儿低出生体重的几率降低85%[AOR = 0.15，（95%CI：0.10 - 0.24），p < 0.001]。与出生体重正常的新生儿相比，低出生体重的新生儿在出生后第一分钟阿氏评分低的风险更高[AOR = 0.52（95%CI：0.37 - 0.73），p < 0.001]。与男婴相比，女婴低出生体重的几率高64%[AOR = 1.64（95%CI：1.19 - 2.24），p = 0.002]。
本研究揭示了低出生体重的高发生率。女性的婚姻状况（单身母亲）、孕龄（<37周）、新生儿性别（女性）是与低出生体重相关的独立风险因素，而出生后第一分钟阿氏评分低于7分的较高风险是低出生体重儿的独立结局。本研究结果为资源受限环境下孕产妇和新生儿因素对低出生体重影响的文献增添了内容。这些发现可指导医疗服务提供者、医院管理人员、利益相关者和政策制定者制定和实施旨在降低低出生体重的适当临床和公共卫生策略。
