Community Based Study of Preterm Births, Small for Gestation and Low Birth Weight Babies in Rural Tribal Women with Extreme Poverty

Abstract

Background: Globally one-sixth of new-borns are Low Birth Weight (LBW), single most important risk factor for Neonatal deaths (NNDs), Preterm births (PTB), Small for gestational age (SGA), Foetal Growth Restriction (FGR) are responsible for LBW and most of perinatal mortality. Objective: Present community-based study was carried out to know burden of PTB, SGA, LBW babies among rural, tribal women. Material and Methods: After ethics committee’s approval prospective study was conducted in 100 villages. Results: Over 2 years, 3713 women delivered, 2287 (61.6%) babies were LBW, 239 (6.4%) PT, 165 (69%) PT SGA, 916 (26.4%) of 3474 term babies were SGA. Overall 26.4% babies were <2 kg, 32.5% ≥2 to <2.5 kg, only 38.4% babies ≥2.5 kg. Of 55 mothers who had very very very (VVV) LBW (<1 kg) babies, 4 (7.3%) had hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDsP), 45 (81.8%) anaemic 3 (5.5%) had other disorders, 3 (5.5%) had no obvious disorder (P-value 0.7754). Of 129 women with VVLBW (≥1 to <1.5 kg) babies, 10 (7.8%) had HDsP,107 (83.9%) anaemia, 9 (7.0%) other disorders, 3 (2.3%) had no obvious disorder (P-value 0.4842). Of 895 women with VLBW (≥1.5 to <2 kg) babies, 84 (9.4%) mothers had HDsP,733 (81.9%) anaemia, 49 (5.5%) other disorders, 29 (3.2%) no obvious disorder (P-value<0.0001). Of 1208 women with babies of ≥2 to <2.5 kg babies, 112 (9.3%) had HDsP, 971(80.4%) had anaemia, 87 (7.2%) other disorders, 38 (3.1%) no obvious disorder (P-value 0.0205). There were 6.4% perinatal deaths 7.4% amongst 2287 <2.5kg, 4.8% of 1426 ≥2.5kg (P-value 0.0085). Conclusion: Preterm births were not high but many babies were LBW, only 38.4% NW, 69% PT and 26.4% term babies were SGA. Anaemia seemed to be a major contributor