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Secular birth weight changes in liveborn infants before, during, and after 1991-1995 homeland war in Croatia

Irena Brialić1, Urelija Rodin, Javor Vrdoljak

  • 1Pediatric outpatient clinic, Trogir, Croatia. irena.bralic@si.t-com.hr

Croatian Medical Journal
|June 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Secular trends show improved infant birth weights in Croatia before and after the war, but a decline during the conflict. This suggests war stress negatively impacts newborn birth weights.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Birth weight is a critical indicator of infant health and development.
  • Secular trends in birth weight can reflect population health and environmental factors.
  • Understanding these trends is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze changes in liveborn infant birth weights in Croatia between 1983 and 2003.
  • To compare birth weight trends across pre-war, war, and post-war periods.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 959,591 liveborn infant records from the Croatian National Institute of Public Health.
  • Categorization of infants into pre-war (1983-1989), war (1991-1995), and post-war (1996-2003) periods.
  • Assessment of birth weights using 500g intervals.

Main Results:

  • A significant increase in infants weighing >=3500g and a decrease in those weighing <3500g was observed over the study period.
  • Positive trends were noted for very high birth weights (4000-4499g, >=4500g) and very low birth weights (500-999g).
  • During the war, there was a decrease in the 2500-3499g group and an increase in the 2000-2499g group, with a significant reduction in the >=4500g category.

Conclusions:

  • Infant birth weights in Croatia showed positive secular changes pre- and post-war, contrasting with negative changes during the war.
  • The findings suggest a potential association between wartime stress and adverse birth weight outcomes.
  • These results highlight the impact of conflict on maternal and infant health.
Abstract

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