Maternal risk factors for low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation in a Guatemalan population.

ABSTRACT

PIP: In 1988, researchers studies data from 306 mother-infant pairs at the Helen Losi de Laugerud regional hospital in Coban, Guatemala to determine the relationship between intrauterine growth etiology and the mothers nutritional, demographic, socioeconomic, and obstetric characteristics. Maternal education and socioeconomic status had a significant positive effect on birth weight. The relationship between maternal education and socioeconomic status, however. Maternal height, maternal triceps skinfold thickness, and maternal weight measurements revealed an association between maternal childhood nutrition status and infant birth weight (p,.0001) and an association between current maternal nutrition status and infant birth weight (p.0001). Indian mothers were more likely to have low birth weight infants than Ladino mothers (p.0001). Infants of mothers of low socioeconomic status had a lower mean birth weight than those of higher socioeconomic status, even when controlled for race (p=.034). 26.5% of all infants exhibited Type I intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). In fact, 77% of all IUGR infants were Type I. The most significant determinants of these chronically malnourished infants were prolonged poverty, maternal malnutrition, and poor living conditions (p.05). Maternal disorders which were a result of short birth intervals significantly contributed to Type II IUGR--the acutely malnourished infants. In fact, more short intervals (42.9% vs. 21.9%). Since Type I IUGR was so prevalent in this group and chronic malnutrition and poor socioeconomic conditions render mothers susceptible to chronic infections which, in turn, impede growth of the rapidly growing fetus as they do in infants, further research on the etiology of Type I IUGR is warranted.