ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 10, Issue 2, pp: (1-12), Month: April - June 2022, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
A Health Facility-based Analytical cross sectional Assessment of Factors Influencing Birth weight in Kwaebibirem Brainard Ayisi Asare1, Grace Asare 2 1
Eastern Region, Kwaebibirem, Ghana 2
Ghana Health Service, Kade
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6559641
Published Date: 18-May-2022
Abstract: Objective: Birth weight (BW) is associated with increased risk of perinatal mortality when < 2.5kg. Despite the underlying role of a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors of unclear proportionate distribution, reduction of the global burden remains a priority. This study analyses maternal and environmental factors influencing BW. Methodology: This analytical cross sectional review inferentially compared parturients who delivered singleton babies with BW above or below < 2.5kg across hypothesized risk variables. A total 4,027 singleton live births, from 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively studied. Results: The overall mean BW was 3.05kg ± 0.4. About 90% of babies weighed 2.5-3.9kg, 5.9% weighed < 2.5kg while 3.8% weighed ≥ 4kg. Adolescent parturients (21.9%) recorded the highest prevalence of BW < 2.5kg. Urban and peri-urban residents recorded a comparatively lower prevalence of BW < 2.5kg. Primiparous parturients recorded a lower mean BW and a commensurately higher prevalence of BW < 2.5kg. Mean Hb concentration was higher among parturients with babies weighing ≥ 2.5kg while mean systolic and diastolic BP were inversely lower among this same category of parturients. Maternal adolescence (POR=2.1, 95% CI=1.2-3.6), rural residence (POR=2.0, 95% CI=1.15-3.5), primiparity (POR=2.4, 95% CI=1.4-4.0), prematurity (POR=8.4, 95% CI=4.7-14.9) and early term (POR=2.4, 95% CI=1.4-4.2) increased risk for BW < 2.5kg. Conclusion: Efforts to reverse adolescent pregnancy rates, (inextricably linked to high risk for BW < 2.5kg and prematurity), should be enhanced. Research to further investigate mechanisms underlying the role of primiparity, maternal hemoglobin concentration and maternal gestational or chronic hypertension should be prioritized. Keywords: Birth weight, factors, maternal, environmental.
1. INTRODUCTION Birth weight (BW), the body weight of a baby at its birth, (varying by mean across various geographical regions), is of medical importance as BW < 2.5kg is associated with increased risk of perinatal mortality.1, 2 The prevalence of BW < 2.5kg, (i.e. Low birth weight or LBW), slightly decreased from 7.9% in 1970 to 6.8% in 1980. A slight increase to 8.2% was observed in 2006 and further slightly trended upwards from 2012 to 2019.2, 3, 4 Extant evidence has widely investigated factors that likely causally predict BW above or below 2.5kg. Two genetic loci, (i.e. ADCY5 and CCNL1), as well four that show some evidence, (i.e. CDKAL1, HHEX-IDE, GCK, and TCF7L2), have been strongly linked with BW.5, 6, 7 The estimated heritability of BW ranges between 25-40 % while complex relationships further exist between a baby's genes and the maternal environment in which the baby develops.8, 9 Other important factors linked with BW include maternal health status during pregnancy, environmental factors (e.g. maternal nutrition, smoking and genital infection), among others.10, 11, 12, 13
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