Weight gain during pregnancy--a key factor in perinatal and infant mortality.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for high perinatal (PMR) and infant (IMR) mortality in a rural area. DESIGN: In 49 randomly selected villages from two adjoining blocks of rural Varanasi, all pregnant women and live births were followed for perinatal and infant mortality, during the years 1988-1992. SUBJECTS: 6790 births and their 6649 live births. RESULTS: The PMR was 90.7 per thousand births and IMR was 98.6/1000 live births. These mortalities were significantly higher if weight gain during pregnancy was less than 7.0 kg. Low weight gain during pregnancy was also associated with significantly higher low birth weight deliveries and to some extent increased still birth rate. PMR and IMR decreased with higher levels of hemoglobin in third trimester and socioeconomic index; however, the calculated RR were not significant. CONCLUSION: Low weight gain during pregnancy is an important risk factor for PMR and IMR.