| Summary: | Low birth weight (LBW) is an important clinical condition in the determination of neonatal morbidity and mortality and postneonatal mortality. It is a highly relevant indicator to public health. This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with low birth weight of newborns treated at a highly complex public hospital located in the city of Vitória, ES, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study in which the population consisted of 246 mothers and children up to two incomplete years of age, who sought care at the hospital services from September 2017 to March 2018. The association between LBW (dependent variable) and independent variables (sociodemographic, obstetric and clinical-surgical conditions) was studied using the chi-square test. The strength of association was estimated by calculating the odds ratio and its 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).To control possible confusing factors in the associations obtained, the multivariate binary logistic regression model was used, and the significance level adopted was p <0.05. Analyzes were performed using the Stata 13.0 statistical package. In this study, the prevalence of LBW found was 22.4% (95% CI 17.5-28.0). Of the six variables included in logistic regression, only the number of prenatal visits <6 weeks (OR = 7.61), presence of complications during pregnancy (OR = 2.29), gestational age <37 weeks (OR = 26, 89) and the gender of the female newborn (OR = 2.67) remained associated with the outcome. The number of prenatal consultations >6, absence of complications during pregnancy, gestational age ≥37 weeks and the gender of the male newborn showed a protective factor against the occurrence of low birth weight. The results found here justify the need to develop more effective actions directed to the maternal and child public.
DOI: 10.12957/demetra.2019.43508
|
|---|
