Adverse Birth Outcomes among Indigenous in Kelantan, Malaysia for the Years 2018–2020: Proportions and Associated Maternal Factors

• Published in: Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2023-08, Vol.34 (3), p.972-988
• Main Authors: Khan, Erwan Ershad Ahmad, Hairon, Suhaily Mohd, Hashim, Noran, Kasri, Muhd Rafiq Mohd, Hamid, Noor Aman A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemia; Birth weight; Childbirth & labor; Diabetes; Ethnicity; Family; Female; Health facilities; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Hypertension; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Low birth weight; Malaysia - epidemiology; Malnutrition; Maternal & child health; Mortality; Mothers; Native peoples; Neonates; Nutrition; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Premature birth; Premature Birth - epidemiology; Prenatal care; Random sampling; Regression analysis; Sample size; Statistical sampling; Stillbirth; Syphilis; Womens health
• ISSN: 1049-2089; 1548-6869; 1548-6869
• DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2023.a903057

This study aimed to measure the proportion of adverse birth outcomes among all births and maternal factors associated with low birth weight among Indigenous (Orang Asli) infants in Kelantan, Malaysia. Proportionate stratified random sampling was done to select 327 samples from five antenatal centres involved with Orang Asli in Kelantan. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine maternal factors associated with low birth weight among Orang Asli infants. The proportion of low birth weight was measured at 16.2% (substantially exceeding the national rate), preterm birth at 7.3%, stillbirth at 0.6%, early neonatal death at 0.6%, and macrosomia at 0.9%,. Maternal factors associated with low birth weight infants include primiparity (AdjOR: 2.88; 95% CI: 1.44,5.78), anaemia in pregnancy (AdjOR: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.18,4.61) and hypertension (AdjOR: 4.21; 95%CI: 1.23,14.44). In conclusion, far-reaching antenatal services and nutrition policy are essential to reduce the proportions of low birth weight among Orang Asli.