Low birth weight and its associated factors in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia
Birhanie Muluken Walle1,2, Adeyemi O Adekunle3, Ayodele O Arowojolu3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institutes, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. muluken.walle@aau.edu.et.
Insights
Low birth weight is a significant global health issue. This study found that poor dietary diversity and low food consumption significantly increase the risk of low birth weight in pregnant women.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Low birth weight (LBW) affects 15-20% of global births, leading to severe health issues for newborns and increased chronic disease risk later in life.
- East Africa faces a critical prevalence of LBW, with approximately 11% of neonates affected.
- Factors contributing to LBW include medical conditions, multiple pregnancies, infections, and socioeconomic determinants like poor dietary diversity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between dietary diversity and low birth weight in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia.
- To identify key risk factors for low birth weight in the study population.
Main Methods:
- An institutional-based cross-sectional study involving 423 pregnant women from June 2019 to December 2020.
- Data collected via questionnaires on socio-demographic factors, dietary diversity scores, and food consumption scores.
- Birth outcomes, including birth weight, were recorded in health institutions.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of low birth weight was 9.6%, with 53.2% exhibiting low dietary diversity and 19.7% low food consumption.
- Low dietary diversity and low food consumption significantly increased the risk of low birth weight (AOR 2.425 and 2.983, respectively).
- Higher maternal education (diploma and above) was associated with a decreased risk of low birth weight (AOR 0.149 and 0.059).
Conclusions:
- Low educational attainment, low dietary diversity, and low food consumption are significant risk factors for low birth weight.
- Promoting diversified diets rich in micronutrients and enhancing women's education are crucial strategies to reduce the incidence of low birth weight.
- Public health interventions should focus on improving nutritional intake and educational levels among pregnant women to mitigate LBW.
Introduction:
Low birth weight is a global public health problem, with 15-20% of all births globally, described by weight at birth of less than 2500 g ensuing fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, poor cognitive growth, and an increased risk of chronic diseases later in life. The prevalence is critical in East Africa where about 11% have low birth weight out of 54% of neonates whose weight was measured at birth. There are many causes of low birth weight, including early induction of labor or cesarean birth, multiple pregnancies, infections, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Moreover, socioeconomic factors and unhealthy dietary habits could contribute to low birth weight in areas with poor intake of a diversified diet. This study has indicated the association between poor dietary diversity and low birth weight in the study area for the first time.
Methods:
An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on eligible 423 pregnant women recruited from Gestational Age of less than 17 weeks until delivery where the birth outcomes were recorded in health institutions in randomly selected five Woredas in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia from June 2019 to December 2020. Questionnaires were used to collect data on socio-economic-demographic, dietary diversity scores, and food consumption scores.
Results:
The study found a prevalence of low birth weight of 9.6%, low dietary diversity score of 53.2%, low food consumption score of 19.7%, and preterm delivery of 9.1%. Ever attended school and a higher level of education (diploma and above) decreased the risk of low birth weight with an Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) of 0.149 (0.024, 0.973) P ≤ 0.042; 0.059 (0.007, 0.513) P ≤ 0.007; whereas low dietary diversity score group and low food consumption group increased the risk of low birth weight with AOR 2.425 (1.342, 6.192) P ≤ 0.011and 2.983 (1.956, 9.084) P ≤ 0.044 respectively.
Conclusion And Recommendation:
Participants with no formal education, no diploma, and above (no college or university training/degree), low diversity score group, and low food consumption group had an increased risk of low birth weight. Therefore the use of a diversified diet, educating women to a higher educational level, and health education on the intake of a diversified food rich in multiple micronutrients are recommended as strategies that will ameliorate the occurrence of low birth weight.
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