Korean J Prev Med.  1991 Sep;24(3):356-362.

Maternal risk factors associated with the low birth weight

• Park HC
• Park J
• Lee YJ
• Moon G

Abstract

This study was performed to identify there maternal risk factors for the low birth weight. During the period from February to June in 1991, the medical record review and questionnaire interview were conducted upon the 465 pregnant women who were admitted to and delivered a baby in 3 general hospitals and an obstetric hospital in Kwangju area. The health and other related information from women who bore the low birth weight infant was compared with those from women who bore the normal birth weight infant. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Maternal age, low body weight at term, illegitimate birth, and maintaining work activity during pregnancy were positively associated with low birth weight. 2. The positive association was revealed between low birth weight and the previous abortion, short gestational weeks, anemia, low maternal weight gain during pregnancy, the obstetric present illness and hypertension. 3. Some maternal working conditions were associated with low birth weight although statistically not significant. 4. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, gestational weeks and maternal weight gain during pregnancy were related with low birth weight.

Keyword

low birth weight; pregnant women; risk factor; work activity

MeSH Terms

Abortion, Induced
Anemia
Birth Weight
Body Weight
Female
Gwangju
Hospitals, General
Humans
Hypertension
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight*
Infant, Newborn
Logistic Models
Maternal Age
Medical Records
Parturition
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women
Surveys and Questionnaires
Risk Factors*
Weight Gain