ABSTRACT
In Benin, as in other African countries, low birthweight infants is a major health problem with poorly understood causes. In a case-control study of 2114 mothers recruited before discharge from the "Lagune" maternity ward at Cotonou, we examined the relationship between spontaneous abortion and low birthweight infants in women who delivered between 15 June 1990 and 20 July 1991. Information was obtained by interview then on the basis of hospital files. The results indicated that there was no association between spontaneous abortion and premature birth: OR = 1.00 (95% CI = 0.61-1.56). Likewise, the relationship between a past history of spontaneous abortion and intrauterine growth retardation was not significant: OR = 1.19 (95% CI = 0.83-1.71). Adjustment with characteristics of the mothers did not improve the correlations. It is concluded that there is no relationship between a past history of spontaneous abortion and low birthweight.
PIP: Researchers analyzed data on 2114 mothers who delivered at Lagune Maternity Hospital in Cotonou, Benin, to examine the relationship between premature birth, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and history of spontaneous abortion. There was no statistically significant correlation between premature birth and history of spontaneous abortion (odds ratio [OR] = 1). Initiation of prenatal care after the first trimester was significantly associated with an increased risk of premature birth (OR = 1.27). There was no statistically significant correlation between term IUGR births and history of spontaneous abortion (OR = 1.19), even if a woman had a history of habitual abortion (OR = 1.22). Maternal weight less than 50 kg and initiation of prenatal care beyond the first trimester were associated with an increased risk of a term IUGR birth (OR = 1.75 and 1.27, respectively). These results indicate that a history of spontaneous abortion does not increase the risk of low birth weight whether it be caused by premature birth or IUGR.
