Maternal Risk Factors Associated With Low Birth Weight in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia, 2010

Abstract

Background: Low birth weight has been defined by the World Health Organization as weight at birth of less than 2,500 grams. The mortality rates are particularly high among high-risk pregnancies and births and in countries like Ethiopia particularly Tigray where adequate primary health care services for maternal and child health, such as prenatal care, delivery and postnatal care, are not universally available to all the populations. It is therefore imperative to identify risk factors for low birth weight in various communities in Tigray in order to come up with feasible intervention strategies to minimize the problem.

Objectives; to assess the maternal risk factors associated with low birth weight in Tigray region governmental hospitals 2010.

Methods: A Facility based case control study was employed on 151 cases and 302 controls from April 26 to May 6, 2010. Maternal factors like age, parity, pre height, inter-pregnancy birth interval, obstetric history (mode of delivery, history of abortions) and maternal life history were studied.

Result: The study was carried out in 7 governmental owned hospitals of Tigray. The mean maternal age of all study participants was 25.53 years. One of the most significant findings to emerge from this study is the maternal age. Analysis by age group revealed a significant positive relationship between age less than 18 years and risk of low birth weight. The other variables that were found to have a statically significant relationship with low birth weight were gravidity greater than 5 and 1, parity greater than 5 and 1, gestational age <37 weeks, inter-pregnancy interval(<18 month), antenatal care attendance (<4), history of hypertension and anaemia were found to be statistically significant. All these factors are interrelated.

Conclusion and recommendation: in this study maternal age, gravidity, parity, gestational age of <37 weeks, inter-pregnancy interval of <18 months, antenatal care attendance (<4), history of hypertension and anemia had a statically significant relationship with low birth weight.  So health care providers should provide brief counseling on ANC attendance, effect of age, and history of maternal anemia and hypertension during pregnancy based on scientific counseling principles and adequate time of counseling should be emphasized