Factors associated with low birthweight: a case-control study in a city of Minas Gerais

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the many factors regarding socioeconomic and healthcare-related variables linked to maternal diseases and the possible impact of the environmental disaster of Mariana, given the prenatal exposure to different water sources for human consumption that were associated with low birthweight in full-term live births in the Municipal Hospital of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais. METHODS: Case-control study, carried out with live births at the Municipal Hospital of Governador Valadares, from May 2017 to July 2018. The case group consisted of full-term live births and low birthweight, and the control group consisted of full-term live births with adequate weight, matched by gender and date of birth. For each case, two controls were selected. Data collection was performed through interviews with the puerperal women, and complementary information was obtained by analyzing the prenatal card and medical records. For data analysis, logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: The study included 65 live births from the case group and 130 from the control group. After the analysis was adjusted for other factors under study, we found that the higher risks of low birthweight are associated with the first childbirth (OR = 2.033; 95%CI = 1.047–3.948; p = 0.036), smoking during pregnancy (OR = 2.850; 95%CI = 1.013–8.021; p = 0.047) and consumption of water supplied by the municipalities affected by the tailings from the Fundão dam failure (RC = 2.444; 95%CI = 1.203–4.965; p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The variables “water consumed during pregnancy,” “previous pregnancies” and “maternal smoking” were associated with low birthweight in the population studied. The importance of epidemiological studies that assess water quality and its adverse health effects is reinforced, as well as greater prenatal control of first-time pregnant women and greater support of policies against smoking, especially during pregnancy.

The health burden of natural and technological disasters in Brazil from 2013 to 2021

“…Technological disasters also cause human damage with an impact on public health. For example, the Mariana (Minas Gerais State) dam disaster, Southeast of Brazil, in 2015, has been associated with prenatal exposure to different sources of water for human consumption, leading to low birthweight 25,26 . Moreover, the fire at Kiss nightclub caused the death of 242 people, most aged form 20 to 30 years, and deeply impacted the mental health of those who survived and of first responders of the disaster 7,27 .…”

Prevalence and factors associated with low birth weight in full-term newborns

“…Uma possível explicação para este resultado é a possibilidade de as multíparas nem sempre procurarem ajuda profissional diante de intercorrências que identificam como "pequenas", mas que podem interferir na evolução gestacional. Os mecanismos biológicos de como o número de gestações pode influenciar a incidência de baixo peso ao nascer não são bem conhecidos, embora estudos revelem que a taxa de baixo peso ao nascer tende a ser maior no primeiro filho do que no segundo e terceiro (14)(15)(16)(17) .…”

Factors associated with premature birth: a case-control study

“…The purpose of including this variable was to assess a possible association with prematurity, since water consumed during pregnancy was associated with low birth weight in a study carried out with a similar population. 12 To categorize this variable, it was taken into account that the participants lived in different municipalities, some affected by the tailings from the Fundão dam collapse and others not.…”

“…11 Another factor to be investigated is the possible impact on duration of pregnancy by the environmental disaster that occurred in Mariana, as it reached the Rio Doce, the only source of supply in the municipality. 12 …”