Low birth weight and associated maternal factors in an urban area.

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and its association with maternal factors.

DESIGN

Cohort study.

SETTING

Urban community.

SUBJECTS

Cohort of 210 pregnant women.

RESULTS

The LBW prevalence was 30.3%. On multivariate analyses the maternal factors significantly associated with LBW were anemia (OR-4.81), low socioeconomic status (OR-3.96), short birth interval (OR-3.84), tobacco exposure (OR-3.14), height (OR-2.78), maternal age (OR-2.68), body mass index (OR-2.02), and primiparity (OR 1.58).

CONCLUSIONS

Anemia, low socioeconomic status, short stature, short birth interval. Tobacco exposure, low maternal age, low body mass index, and primiparity are significantly risk factors for LBW.