Status of Low Birth Weight Babies in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital

Low birth weight (LBW) is the major neonatal health problem in Bangladesh like other developing countries with limited resource. But only a few studies had done about status of LBW at hospital setting in this country. The objective of the study that to evaluate the status and immediate outcome of the LBW This cross sectional retrospective study was done in neonatal ward of Mymensingh medical college hospital. In this 1000 bedded tertiary care level teaching hospital only 40 cots and 10 open incubators are sanctioned but daily average admission in neonatal ward more than 30. On an average about 100 patients are remaining in the ward. Three or four patients are nursed in each cot. It covers the vast catchment's area of Bangladesh having more than two cores of population. With limited resources and manpower, this neonatal ward has to bear the burden of 100 neonates and daily admission of 30 neonates. Study period was one year (October 2013 to September 2014). Total admitted neonates were 8359. All admitted neonates were considered as study population and all LBW babies were considered as sample. Among total population 41% (3423) were LBW. Among total LBW babies maximum (80.7%) had birth weight 1500-2499gm followed by Very Low birth weight (VLBW) 1000 - 1499gm 14.7%, Extreme Low birth weight (ELBW) 1000-750gm 1.6% and Incredible low birth weight <750gm 1.7%. Term LBW (IUGR) babies were 52% and preterm LBW were 48%. Death rate among LBW babies group were higher (18.5%) than death rate (15.8%) among all admitted neonate. By comparison of mortality rate among different subgroup of LBW shows highest mortality (65.5%) was in incredible low birth weight babies group followed by ELBW group (58.8%) and among VLBW group 26.4% and lowest mortality (15.3%) was among birth weight 1500-2499gm group babies. Death rate was inversely related to birth weight. Death rate among preterm LBW babies (21.5%) was higher than Term LBW (IUGR) babies (15.7%). So, death rate was also inversely related to the maturity. Death rate among LBW babies is still higher in our institute than other developed institute of home and abroad. Death rate specially higher among incredible birth weight group and ELBW group in our institute. Further improvement in neonatal care is needed to decrease the mortality among LBW babies.