Childhood illness and chances of survival. LBW results in a corresponding perinatal mortality. The identification of factors contributing to LBW is therefore of paramount importance. Low birthweight is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces). In contrast, the average newborn weighs about 8 pounds. Over 8 percent of all new-born babies in the United States have low birthweight. The primary cause is premature birth, being born before 37 weeks gestation; a baby born early has less time in the mother's uterus to grow and gain weight, and much of a fetus's weight is gained during the latter part of …show more content…
Preterm birth and being small for gestational age (SGA), which are the reasons for low-birth-weight (LBW), are also important indirect causes of neonatal deaths. LBW contributes to 60% to 80% of all neonatal deaths[1]. The global prevalence of LBW is 15.5%, which amounts to about 20 million LBW infants born each year, 96.5% of them in developing countries.Countries can reduce their neonatal and infant mortality rates by improving the care for the mother during pregnancy and childbirth of LBW infants[2]. The series of documents on II integrated Management of Pregnancy and Childbirth (IMPAC) provide practical guidance to health workers and the recent WHO guidelines Optimal feeding of a low-birth-weight infant contains recommendations on what to feed when to feed and how to feed an LBW new-born. As per the WHO estimates, globally about 25 million LBW babies are born each year, nearly 95% of them in the developing countries[3]. According to the UNICEF estimate, almost every third new-born (30%) in India is LBW. The NFHS-3 reported the proportion of LBW babies about 23% for rural and 19% of the urban population. As per NFHS-3 data, the infant mortality rate is 49/1000 live birth for an average or large size baby, but it is 62/1000 live birth for a smaller than average baby and 129/1000 live birth for a very small baby. Experience from developed and low and middle-income countries have clearly shown that …show more content…
In this study, all singleton new-born having a weight of <2.5kg was included as a case and a weight of ≥2.5kg was included as a control. All the consecutive mothers delivering LBW child and normal weight child were included in our study. After selection of an LBW case as defined, the next available newborns that could have fulfilled the criteria for controls were recruited in the sample to ensure a case: control ratio of 1:1.Case( Group:1): Low birth weight children; infants with birth weight less than 2500 gms are low birth weight, irrespective of the age of gestation.Control ( Group:2): Normal Birth Weight (NBW): Infant birth weight ≥2500 gms. Case group Control: 1:1, age and sex matched. Inclusion Criteria: 1.Women with completed 6th months of pregnancy; 2.women agreed to follow the intervention protocol during 3rd trimester and 3. pregnant women supposed to be delivered at PHC. Exclusion Criteria:1. mothers who did not give consent; 2. mothers who were not available for giving information; 3. mothers having multiple births. A questionnaire specially designed to collect information on variables relating to the study was used. A pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility and validity of the questionnaire, and necessary corrections were incorporated. The mothers with LBW and NBW neonates were also interviewed.