These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Epidemiology and prevention of low birth weight babies in a developing country.
    Author: Tibrewala NS, Tibrewala SN, Tibrewala VN.
    Journal: Bull Int Pediatr Assoc; 1980 Jan; 3(5):27-36. PubMed ID: 12310105.
    Abstract:
    The factors contributing toward the high incidence of low weight births in developing countries were described and suggestions for reducing the number of low weight births were made. Low birth weight infants were defined as those babies who weighed 2500 g or less at birth. Socioeconomic, cultural, biological, maternal, obstetric, and fetal factors, identified in previous studies as contributory factors, were summarized. In regard to social, economic, and cultural factors, low birth weight is positively correlated with 1) low socioeconomic status; 2) poor maternal diet; 3) short birth intervals; 4) illegitimacy; 5) the performance of strenuous work during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy; 6) low maternal education; and 7) smoking. Biological factors positively associated with low birth weight include 1) early and late maternal age; 2) 1st births; 3) low maternal weight and short maternal stature; 4) the birth of females; 5) slow maternal growth patterns; and 6) high altitude pregnancies. Maternal factors positively associated with low birth weight include 1) the presence of maternal tuberculosis, heart disease, renal failure, and hypertension; 2) low maternal caloric and protein intake; 3) maternal anemia; 4) obstetric complications; 5) a history of previous low weight births, abortions, stillbirths, or premature births; 6) various uterine and placental factors; 7) multiple pregnancies; and 8) inadequate prenatal care. Fetal factors associated with low weight births include fetal infection and congenital abnormalities. The cause of low weight births varies in different populations and the 1st step in any preventive program is to determine the major causes of low weight births in the target population. Preventive measures include 1) improving secioeconomic and public health conditions; 2) upgrading maternal diets and maternal and prenatal health care; 3) expanding health education programs; and 4) preventing premature births.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]