Association between Maternal Factors, Preterm Birth, and Low Birth Weight of Chilean Singletons

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Public Health
• Neonatology

Background:

• Recent years have seen a rise in preterm births in Western nations, often linked to low birth weight.
• Understanding the maternal factors contributing to these outcomes is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between maternal characteristics and preterm birth (PT) and low birth weight (LBW) in Chilean newborns.
• To identify specific maternal risk and protective factors for PT and LBW.

Main Methods:

• An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on a national sample of 903,847 mother-newborn pairs in Chile.
• Data analyzed included newborn gestational age, birth weight, and maternal factors like age, education, and employment.
• Multivariate logistic regression was employed to determine significant associations (α = 0.05).

Main Results:

• The prevalence of preterm birth was 6.8%, and low birth weight was 5.0%.
• Mothers with less than 12 years of education had a 1.18-1.22 times higher probability of having PT and LBW newborns.
• Mothers aged 35 years or older had a 1.38-1.29 times higher probability of having PT and LBW newborns.

Conclusions:

• Maternal educational attainment below 12 years and maternal age of 35 years or older are significant risk factors for preterm birth and low birth weight in Chilean newborns.
• Conversely, higher maternal educational attainment appears to be a protective factor against these adverse birth outcomes.