[Low birth weight infant and its risk factors]

A case-control study on low birth weight was conducted in Qiaokou District, Wuhan City in 1987. 162 low birth weight infants were included with 324 controls. The controls were matched by stratified birth weights (2500-2999g, 3000-3999g). The results showed that beside incomplete pregnancy, severe edema-proteinuria-hypertension syndrome (OR 5.26, 8.18), insufficient prenatal care (OR 5.90, 10.04), heavy physical work during third pregnancy trimester (OR 2.84, 6.43), undernutrition (OR 3.40, 18.50) and cigarette smoking (OR 1.41, 5.50) are risk factors to low birth weight. These relationships became more evident when the low birth weight infants were compared with the higher birth weight infants of Control Group 2. This suggests that treating pregnant complications and strengthening prenatal care must be done to reduce the birth rate of low birth weight infants.