Risk factors for preterm, low birth weight and small for gestational age birth in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Townsville

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the characteristics of Indigenous births and to examine the risk factors for preterm (<37 weeks), low birth weight (<2,500 g) and small for gestational age (SGA) births in a remote urban setting. Design: Prospective cohort of singleton births to women attending Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Services (TAIHS) for shared antenatal care between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2003. Main outcome measures: Demographic, obstetric, and antenatal care characteristics are described. Risk factors for preterm birth, low birth weight and SGA births are assessed. Results: The mean age of the mothers was 25.0 years (95% CI 24.5-25.5), 15.8% reported hazardous or harmful alcohol use, 15.1% domestic violence, 30% had an inter-pregnancy interval of less than 12 months and 9.2% an unwanted pregnancy. The prevalence of infection was 50.2%. Predictors of preterm birth were a previous preterm birth, low body mass index (BMI) and inadequate antenatal care, with the subgroup at greatest risk of preterm birth being women with a previous preterm birth and infection in the current pregnancy. Predictors of a low birth weight birth were a previous stillbirth, low BMI and an interaction of urine infection and nonTownsville residence; predictors of an SGA birth were tobacco use, pregnancy-induced hypertension and interaction of urine infection and harmful alcohol use. Conclusion:The prevalence of demographic and clinical risk factors is high in this group of urban Indigenous women. Strategies addressing potentially modifi able risk factors should be an important focus of antenatal care delivery to Indigenous women and may represent an opportunity to improve perinatal outcome in

Socio-Biological Determinants of Low Birth Weight: A Community based study from rural field practice area of Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal (India)

“…20,21,24,26,27 We observed lesser proportion of lbw babies among hypertensive mothers which was contrary to the findings showed in other studies. 23,24,25 We could not explain this findings because scientifically it is natural that pregnancy induced hypertension resulted reduced placental perfusion thereby increased chance of lbw babies.…”

Associação entre violência doméstica na gestação e peso ao nascer ou prematuridade

“…6,10 The literature review performed for this study did not find any studies that had identified the relationship between LBW or PM and low educational level on the part of the IP, which was observed here. However, in a systematic review, the authors found an association between BP or PM and the IP's profession -increased risk was observed among workers in agriculture, industry and mining and among unemployed people, when compared with technicians or professionals requiring greater specialization.…”

“…This explains the fact that some studies have described positive associations between DV during pregnancy and LBW, prematurity (PM) or both, [3][4][5] while others have not found any association whatsoever. [6][7][8] Low birth weight can occur as a result of a whole range of biological, behavioral and socioeconomic factors and can be understood as a direct or indirect consequence of these factors. The direct link between violence and LBW can be as a result of abdominal trauma, and the indirect, but no less severe, effects may be the result of drug and alcohol use, stressful conditions and inadequate nutrition.…”

The association between domestic violence during pregnancy and low birth weight or prematurity

“…Diferentes metodologias de pesquisa utilizadas podem contribuir para que essa relação permaneça desconhecida, uma vez que muitos dos resultados não são comparáveis. Isso justifica o fato de que alguns estudos têm descrito associação positiva da VD durante o período gestacional com BPN, prematuridade (PM) ou ambos [3][4][5] , e outros não encontraram qualquer associação [6][7][8] .…”