Factors associated with low birth weight: a case- control study

Term low birth weight is a multifactorial event influenced by maternal, fetal, and socio-environmental conditions. Understanding it enables the design of targeted preventive interventions.

To analyze the factors associated with low birth weight in term newborns attended at a tertiary-level clinic in Córdoba between 2020 and 2023.

A retrospective case-control study. The sample size was calculated with 80% power and a 95% confidence level. A total of 84 cases and 169 controls were included through stratified random sampling. Maternal clinical and sociodemographic variables were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.

Low birth weight was associated with hospitalization during pregnancy (aOR = 6.05; 95% CI: 2.94-12.47), rural residence (aOR = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.21-5.81), and female sex of the newborn (aOR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.07-3.64). Maternal reproductive tract surgery acted as a protective factor (aOR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.20-0.71).

The findings highlight the combined influence of clinical and social factors, particularly gestational hospitalization and rural residence, conditions that may limit timely prenatal care and increase perinatal risk.

Preventing low birth weight requires strengthening the quality of prenatal care, prioritizing follow-up for pregnant women with prior hospitalization, and establishing differentiated care pathways for rural women to improve access and ensure timely maternal-fetal care.