MATERNAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW BIRTH WEIGHT (LBW) BABIES IN A GOVT. MEDICAL COLLEGE IN KOLKATA
Kuntal Gupta, Dr. Maitreyee Banerjee (Mukherjee)*, Dr. Sanjoy Kr. Bhattacharyya and Ms. Anindita De
ABSTRACT
A live born infant having birth weight of less than 2.5 kg regardless of gestational age is defined as Low Birth Weight (LBW) baby. The birth weight of a baby may be influenced by several factors. The present study has been undertaken to assess the association between the birth weight of babies born in a government hospital in Kolkata and other maternal factors including the SES of her family. Women who delivered between the month of May and June 2018 and are willing to participate in the study were included as the subject. Anthropometric and socioeconomic data were recorded. Birth weight of the baby was obtained from the hospital data including the number of LBW babies. 46% of the babies were found to be suffering from LBW condition and is higher than the earlier studies. Maternal factors which are found to be significantly correlated to the birth were BMI, gestation period and SES of her family. The waist hip ratio of the mother was found to be correlated significantly with the number of babies she already has. Thus, it can be concluded from the present study that proper education and provision of essential nutrient are essential for giving birth of a healthy baby.
[Full Text Article] [Download Certificate]