Incidence of Low Birth Weight and high risk of mortality amongst LBW children in Ballabgarh HDSS
Low birth weight (LBW) is associated with fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Impaired cognitive development and advent of chronic diseases in later life are other known consequences of LBW. Present study was conducted to estimate the mortality among low birth weight children at Ballabgarh HDSS.
METHODS:
Present study is a retrospective cohort analysis of LBW in Ballabgarh HDSS. All pregnant women from 2009 to 2012 were followed for the occurrence of LBW. Further the children were followed till the age of one year to find any adverse outcome (mortality). Birth weight of less than 2500 grams was considered to be low birth weight. Unadjusted and adjusted hazards ratio (village population, distance from nearest secondary level hospital, availability of a Primary Health Centre /Sub-centre, parental education, wealth index, sex, birth order, delivery place, period of gestation, number of ANC visits) were calculated.
RESULTS:
A total of 7,948 live births occurred, of which birth weight of 6,625 children were recorded and among them 1,146 children were weighing less than 2,500 grams. The incidence of LBW recorded at Ballabgarh HDSS was 17.3% (95%CI: 16.4-18.2) and with UNICEF correction the incidence increased up to 21.8%. There were 154 deaths in low birth weight newborn group and 139 deaths in normal birth weight newborn group. The unadjusted hazards ratio (LBW Vs normal birth weight) was 5.66 (4.50-7.12) while the adjusted hazards ratio was 4.71 (95%CI: 3.47-6.42).
CONCLUSIONS:
Continued high incidence of LBW and consequent high infant mortality is a matter of concern.