A Study of Low Birth Weight and Associated Maternal Factors in A Rural Field Practice Area of a Medical College at Ahmedabad City of Gujarat

Introduction: In developed countries, about 50% of all Low-Birth-Weight new born are preterm. Low birth weight is also a leading cause of neonatal death and major risk factor for infant and under-five morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To find out prevalence of low birth weight& to determine the association of socio-demographic variables, maternal medical and obstetric risk factors with low birth weight. Methodology: Across sectional community-based study was conducted in a rural field practice area of a medical college. A total of 600 participants (mothers who delivered within 3 months) were included in the study. Results: The prevalence of LBW was found to be 17% in the current study. Statistically significant asso-ciation was obtained between age, education, occupation, socio-economic class of participants and birth weight of the child. The prevalence of LBW was found to be significantly high (51.7%) amongst children of those participants who consumed/used tobacco in any form. Conclusion: The prevalence of the LBW was found to be 17%. Extremes of reproductive age group, illit-eracy, occupation of labourer, SEC class IV, grand-multiparity, inadequate IFA consumption, short stat-ure, weight of mother and use of tobacco were found to be significantly affecting the birth weight and as-sociated with low birth weight.