ABSTRACT
To study the effect of pre-pregnancy weight, maternal height and weight gain during pregnancy on birth weight. Design: A community based longitudinal study. Setting: The study was conducted in the rural field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka State, India. Study Period: Between 1st June 1996 to 31st January 1998. Subjects: A total of 75 pregnancies were followed up till delivery. Main outcome and measures: Pre-pregnancy weight, maternal height, weight gain during pregnancy and other baseline characteristics were collected using a pre-tested proforma. Weight of the baby was recorded immediately after birth. The mean pre-pregnancy weight and maternal height were 43.7 kg [SD=6.6] and 154.2 cm [SD=5.2] respectively. The mean weight gain during pregnancy was found to be 8.0 kg [SD=2.6]. The mean birth weight was 2869.7 gm [SD=467.2] with a range of 1380-3800gm. A statistically significant correlation was observed between pre-pregnancy weight [r =0.4, p<0.001], maternal height [r=0.36, p=0.001], weight gain during pregnancy [r=0.52, p<0.001] and birth weight. Interpretation and Multiple regression analysis revealed that pre-pregnancy weight, maternal height and weight gain during pregnancy were independently associated with birth weight