Birth weight patterns in a commercial farming area, rural area and urban area of Karoi District, Zimbabwe.

Birth weight patterns were studied in three different socio-economic areas, i.e. commercial farming area (CFA), rural area (RA), and urban area (UA), in a community-based (n = 684) and hospital-based (n = 314) fashion. Mean weight and low birth weight proportions were similar in all three areas, although 17 per cent of all babies were premature in the CFA compared with 7 per cent in the RA (P = 0.005). In the community the mean birth weight was 3.0 +/- 0.1 kg and 2.97 +/- 0.09 kg in hospital. The proportion of newborns weighing less than 2.5 kg was 9 per cent in the community and 15 per cent in hospital (P = 0.006), whereas 18 and 16 per cent were smaller than or equal to 2.5 kg, respectively (P = 0.48).