Prevalence and factors related to low birth weight in a tertiary hospital in Ajman UAE

ABSTRACT

To estimate the prevalence of low birth weight infants born in GMC hospital Ajman [JAN 2011-DEC 2013] and identify the maternal and fetal risk factors for the low birth weight. A record based study was done in Gulf Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Ajman UAE. The study included records of all neonates born with low birth weight in GMC Hospital from Jan 2011-Dec 2012. Tool for data collection was prepared and content validated by subject experts from department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Community medicine; the tool included maternal and fetal factors. Data was collected after getting approval from ethics committee. All the data obtained was then entered into Excel spread sheet and analyzed using SPSS 20 software. The frequency of low birth weight [LBW] was approximately 20/1000 live births of which 96% were low birth weight and 4% very low birth weight. A high percentage of LBW babies were born to women of the group 20-34 years and most of them were unemployed. Of the mothers who had a low birth weight baby 47% had 3-5 children, 35% had previous abortions, 47% had anemia, 41% hypertension and 25% had ante partum hemorrhage. 71.7% of LBW were preterm and most of them were a result of a single birth, 12% of the LBW babies were born with some disability and 47% required admission in an NICU. Mode of delivery was by Caesarian-section in 58% of the deliveries. Interventions to improve care during pregnancy, childbirth and the post natal period as well as feeding are likely to improve the immediate and longer -term health and well-being of the newborn and have a significant impact on neonatal and infant mortality at a population level