Risk factors associated to low weight at birth in the University Policlinic Carlos Verdugo

Abstract

Introduction: child weight at birth is one of the most useful indicators to evaluate prenatal care results, child survival perspectives and child's health status during the first life year. There are several risk factors favoring of low-weight children birth. In the period 2011-2012 there it was an increase of these cases in the University Policlinic Carlos Verdugo, of Matanzas municipality, and no research were carried out on the risk factors leading to that.
Methods: an observational, case-analysis, control study was carried out in the University Policlinic Carlos Verdugo aimed to identifying the risk factors associated to low weight at birth. The dependent variables was low weight at birth; and as independent variables were considered socio demographic risk factors, medical risk factors preceding pregnancy, medical risk factors related with pregnancy, inadequate prenatal care and toxic habits. The inquiry used was the one the provincial Maternal-Infantile Department uses for these cases.  There were calculated summing-up measures for quantitative variables and to measure the association force we used disparity ratio with a 95 % confidence interval.
Outcome: the risk factor associated to low weight at birth was the inadequate total weight gaining during pregnancy. If this risk factor is eliminated among the studied exposed population, the probability of low-weigh newborns appearance will be reduced in 81,5 %.