چکیده (انگلیسی):

Objective: To determine the risk factors for low birth weight and adverse perinatal
outcomes associated with low birth weight in Northern Tanzania.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed using maternally linked data from
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) medical birth registry. A total of 37799
singleton births delivered from 2000 to 2013 were analyzed. Multiple births, stillbirth and
infants with birth defects were excluded. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version
16.0. Chi-square was used to compare difference in proportions between groups. The
relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CIs) for the factors and adverse perinatal
outcomes associated with LBWwere estimated in a multivariate logistic regression models.
Results: The incidence of low birth weight was 10.6%. Multivariate logistic regression
showed that pre-eclampsia (RR 3.9; 95% CI 3.6–4.2), eclampsia (RR 5.4; 95% CI 4.1–6.9),
chronic hypertension (RR 2.8; 95% CI 2.1–3.8), maternal anemia (RR 1.7; 95% CI 1.4–2.2),
HIV status (RR 0.8; 95% CI 0.7–0.8), smoking during pregnancy (RR 1.9; 95% CI 1.0–3.5),
caesarean section delivery (RR 1.4; 95% CI 1.3–1.5), placental abruption (RR 3.7; 95% CI
1.3–4.7), placenta previa (RR 6.6; 95% CI 4.8–9.3), PROM (RR 2.5; 95% CI 1.9–3.3),
maternal underweight (RR 1.3; 95% CI 1.2–1.6), and obesity (RR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1–1.4) and
female gender of baby were significantly associated with delivery of low birth weight infants.
On the other hand, LBW infants had increased risk of neonatal jaundice (RR 2.7; 95%
CI 1.2–6.1), being delivered preterm (RR 2.0; 95% CI 1.8–2.3), Apgar score (<7) at fifth
minute (RR 5.5; 95% CI 4.5–6.6) and early neonatal death (RR 3.5; 95% CI 2.6–4.6).
Conclusions: Low birth weight is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Early
identification of risk factors for low birth weight through prenatal surveillance of high risk
pregnant women may help to prevent these adverse perinatal outcomes.