FACTORS INFLUENCING DELIVERY OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES IN A SECONDARY HEALTH FACILITY AND MISSION HOME IN IBADAN

Abstract

Low birth weight is an important factor that affects neonatal mortality. It is also a significant determinant of post-neonatal infant mortality and of infant and childhood mortality. Low birth weight (<2,500g) is of clinical and epidemiological significance and a target for public health intervention. In particular, considerable attention has been focused on the causal determinants of low birth weight, and especially to identify potentially modifiable factors. The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between maternal socio-demographic characteristics and birth weight at a secondary health facility and mission homes in Ibadan. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted amongst two hundred and eighty mothers who just delivered in the secondary health facility and mission homes. An interviewer administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The sample was obtained by administering questionnaire to all consecutive mothers delivering babies in the health facilities in order to identify low birth weight babies and normal birth weight babies. All data was analyzed with the use of SPSS version 16. Analysis was considered a significant association at p<0.05. The overall prevalence of low birth weight was 13 .6%. The prevalence of low birth weight in the mission and secondary health facility was 15.7% and 11.7% respectively. The mean birth weight in the secondary health facility (2.93±0.42kg) was higher than that of the mission house (2. 79±0.41 kg). Irrespective of the place of delivery, prevalence of low birth weight was comparatively higher among babies delivered by mothers who were 95 years, less educated, earned weekly income less than N2,500, had less than two years pregnancy interval and gestational week less than thirty-seven weeks (P<0.05). Maternal age, education, weekly income, period of ante-natal care registration, inter-pregnancy interval, gestational age were each significantly related to the incidence of low birth weight (p<0.05). Place of delivery, parity and birth order were not significantly associated with low birth weight. Irrespective of place of delivery, maternal age, education, ANC registration, inter-pregnancy interval, gestational age were factors that were strongly associated with low birth weight. More attention should be given to preventing low birth weight by improving maternal education, discouraging teenage pregnancy, promoting early and regular ANC attendance.