A Case-Control Study on Low birth weight and Associated Epidemiological Determinants among Tribal Population of Dahod, Gujarat

Abstract

Background: The healthy future of society depends on the today’s children and their mother’s health. Low birth
weight (LBW) is a valuable public health indicator of maternal health, nutrition, healthcare delivery. So, a casecontrol
study was planned to assess the local scenario of district.
Objectives: To study the epidemiological determinants like socio-demographic, maternal, socioeconomic,
environmental factors and Antenatal care (ANC) package utilization related to low birth weight.
Methodology:A Case- control study was carried out at tertiary care hospital, Dahod. We had selected 150 cases
and equal number of controls for present study.
Results:The results showed that factors like kachha house (OR=1.82), chulha as kitchen fuel (OR=1.76), illiteracy
(OR=2.85), labourer (OR=3.57), age above 30 years (OR=2.81), short stature (OR=12.95), less prepregnancy
weight (OR=3.04), less body mass index (OR=1.84), less weight gain during pregnancy (OR=2.11)(OR=4.82) ,
less interpregnancy interval (OR=1.16), less maternal age at time of marriage (OR=2.67) , later registration of
pregnancy (OR= 5.17), less than 4 Antenatal care (ANC) visits(OR= 2.29), less Iron folic acid (OR=2.70) and
calcium supplementation (OR=2.18) than recommended and no utilization of take- home ration from anganwadi
center (OR=2.18) were significantly associated with the risk of low birth weight babies.
Conclusion: Study provides local scenario of district as various epidemiological determinants are more prone for
LBW. The best way is to act at grass root level, firstly from health care side by strengthening the available services and
engaging every beneficiary and secondly from pregnant women and family side by educating and motivating them.