Prevalence of Low Birth Weight (LBW) and Associated Maternal Factors in a Tertiary Hospital in Gombe Metropolis, Nigeria
Mela Danjin *
College of Nursing and Midwifery Gombe, PMB 053, Nigeria.
Liona Buba
College of Nursing and Midwifery Gombe, PMB 053, Nigeria.
Ebisike J. O. Kelechi
Department of Paediatrics, Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Nigeria.
Rose M. Danjin
Department of Nursing Services, Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Nigeria.
Vivian J. O. K Ebisike
Department of Biochemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Haruna M. Moda
Department of Health Professions, Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of Low Birth Weight (LBW) and its association with some maternal factors in the study area.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study of 108 consenting and parturient mothers who had their antenatal bookings and singleton baby live deliveries in the State Specialist Hospital Gombe, Nigeria; was conducted in the month of August 2016. The mother-neonate pairs were selected using purposive sampling technique and key variables of interest about the subjects were harvested on structured pro-forma. Simple descriptive statistics were computed, Chi square and two-sided Fisher’s Exact Test (FET) were used to test association between Birth Weight (BW) and some maternal factors. Level of significance was set at P<0.05.
Results: Majority (85.2%) of the mothers who aged between 15 and 40 years (23.90+6.327) were below the age of 31. Most of them were housewives (77.8%) and 75.0% were Hausa-Fulani by tribe. Eighty (74.1%) of them had parity and gravidity of <4 and <5 respectively. Fifty-three of the infants (49.1%) had Low Birth Weight (LBW) and a mean of 2.54±0.641kg. About a quarter of the mothers (25, 23.1%) had a Body Mass Index (BMI) of <18.50 kg/m2while well over a half (65) of them had low Packed Cell Volumes (PCVs) (<33%). When Birth Weight (BW) was cross tabulated against various maternal parameters, significant association could only be found with maternal weight (P = 0.000) and BMI (P=0.000).
Conclusion: A very high prevalence of LBW (49.1%) related to a compromised maternal nutritional status as indicated by poor BMI and weight indicators is quite worrisome. Although this might require further confirmation by more rigorous large sample-size multicentre follow up studies, this finding calls for the institution of effective intervention measures by all concerned authorities.
Keywords: Low birth weight, neonates, maternal, BMI, Nigeria