PREVALENCE OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT IN DHAKA CITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH MOTHER'S AGE

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism 2017-10, Vol.71 (Suppl. 2), p.701
• Main Authors: Shaheen, Razia, Roy, Medha, Anny, Aklima, Shova, Nelufa Yeasmin, Hema, Tasmia, Ratna, Moffashara Sultana, Ara, Ferdous, Jahan, Khurshid, Roy, Swapan Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescents; Age; Babies; Birth weight; Childbirth & labor; Children; Data collection; Hospitals; Infant mortality; Low birth weight; Mothers; Nutrition; Prevention programs; Public health; Risk factors; Teenagers; Weight reduction
• ISSN: 0250-6807; 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000480486

Background and objectives: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major risk factor for perinatal and infant mortality. In Bangladesh, LBW rate was 36% in 2004. Due to lack of information, estimating the current birth weight situation was necessary. The study was conducted to estimate the current rate of low birth weight in Urban Dhaka and to observe its association with mother's age. Methods: This was a cross- sectional study, carried out at six government and non-government hospitals in Dhaka city. Birth weight of seven hundred and thirty six babies born from 2014- 2016 was taken from the databases of the selected hospitals in Dhaka City. Information on Mother's age, father's occupation was also taken from mothers of new born babies who were present during data collection. Results: The prevalence of LBW was 30.2%. The mean birth weight was 2.65kg. About 16% of the mothers were adolescent (≤19 years), 82% were between 20-35 years and only 2% was above 35 years. Among the adolescent mothers, the LBW rate was 41%, mothers aged from 20 to 35 years, the percentage was 28 and mothers aged ≥36 years the rate was 27%. There was a significant association between mother's age and birth weight (p value=0.020). A linear co-relationship has been found between mother's age and birth weight. The LBW rate was 14%, 19% and 35% whose fathers were businessmen, service holder and day laborer, respectively (p value=0.046). About two third of the samples were taken from government facilities having LBW of 38% while the rest one third were taken from non-government facilities having LBW rate of 17%. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that at least three children in every ten live births are born with low birth weight in urban Dhaka per day. The teenage mothers experienced significantly more low birth weight babies than adult mothers. The findings of the study will help to initiate preventive programs and to develop public health nutrition interventions to reduce low birth weight.