[An analysis of low birth weight in Colombia, 2005-2009]

Analysing Colombia's low birth weight pattern over a five-year period (2005 to 2009) and identifying the determinants and risk factors associated with such low birth weight rate.

This was a retrospective descriptive study which used the information contained in live birth certificates. Ratios were calculated for each selected variable and a multivariate logistic regression model was used for determining the associated predictors.

The low birth weight rate was 8.6 % on average, this being higher in urban areas (8.9 %) and in the new born of mothers affiliated to the Colombian social security health insurance system's contributory regime (9.2 %). The low birth weight rate was higher in mothers lacking education (9.7 %) and those having a university or higher level of education (9.1 %). The predictors associated with the full-term newborn were caesarean delivery (OR 1.49), being female (OR 1.47), having attended less than four prenatal visits (OR 1.32), those being pregnant for the first time (OR 1.28) and being a single mother (OR 1.17).

The low birth weight rate has increased each year and is linked to factors such as type of delivery, a child's gender, the number of prenatal visits, the number of previous live births, marital status, educational level and maternal age. These factors should form the target for Colombian public health policy and intervention.