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Factors associated with low birthweight among late preterm singletons in Japan using pregnancy birth registry data

Yoshifumi Kasuga1, Kunio Tanaka1, Keisuke Akita1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
|September 12, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Over half of late preterm (LP) infants are born with low birthweight (LBW). Modifiable factors like maternal underweight and smoking, alongside non-modifiable factors, independently increase LBW risk in these vulnerable newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Obstetrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Late preterm (LP) infants (34 0/7–36 6/7 weeks gestation) share adverse outcomes with low birthweight (LBW) infants (<2500 g).
  • The specific association between LP birth and LBW remains under-explored.
  • Understanding risk factors for LBW in LP infants is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of LBW among late preterm singleton neonates.
  • To identify independent maternal and perinatal risk factors associated with LBW in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of Japanese registry data (2013–2017) for LP singleton neonates.
  • Exclusion of stillbirths and infants with incomplete data.
  • Logistic regression models to assess associations between maternal/perinatal factors and LBW.

Main Results:

  • LBW was prevalent, affecting 62.5% (n=35,113) of 56,160 LP singleton births.
  • Independent risk factors for LBW included pre-pregnancy underweight, inadequate gestational weight gain, smoking, younger maternal age, nulliparity, hypertensive disorders, preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and female sex.
  • Both modifiable and non-modifiable factors significantly contributed to LBW risk in LP neonates.

Conclusions:

  • More than half of late preterm infants in Japan are born with low birthweight.
  • Identifying and addressing modifiable maternal risk factors is key to reducing LBW in late preterm infants.
  • A multifactorial approach considering both maternal and infant characteristics is necessary for managing LBW risks in late preterm births.

Keywords:
Low birthweightgestational weight gainlate preterm birthsmall for gestational ageunderweight

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