Abstract:
Background: Maternal malnourishment has significant, serious, long-term effects on both
mother and child. A birth weights such as low birth weight (LBW) impose a huge burden on
families, health care system, education, and social services. The association of maternal diet
and nutritional characteristics on newborn birth weight is not studied in the study area.
Therefore, it is necessary to assess the nutritional status of pregnant women to avoid various
complications.
Objective: To assess the association between maternal nutritional characteristics and
newborn birth weight among mothers who delivered in health institutions in Bedele Town,
southwest Ethiopia, 2021.
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 pregnant
mothers who delivered in both health institutions in Bedele Town from May 26 to July 26
2021. Data were entered into EPI data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0.
Bivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent variables for multivariable
logistic regression at p-value <0.25. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to assess
the association between birth weight and list of independent variables and to test statistically
significant variable that was considered at p-value <0.05.
Result: Mothers with >23 cm MUAC were 1.1 times less likely to deliver LBW (AOR= 1.13
[95%CI= 1.23, 3.42]). Majority of newborns had normal birth weight (84.4%) with mean
birth weight of 3029.6 ± 431.5 grams and only 11.9% of newborns had low birth weight.
Rural residence are 2.5 times more likely to be low birth weight (AOR 2.5 [95%CI 1.5, 34])
and women who had family size less than five were 1.2 times have LBW baby (AOR=1.2
[95%=CI 0.2, 6.7]).Mothers who didn‟t take iron folate supplementation on current
pregnancy (AOR = 3.4 [95% CI: 0.3, 38]) were 3.4 times more likely to be exposed to LBW.
Conclusion and Recommendation: The associated factor of newborn birth weight was
maternal MUAC, parity, family size and additional meal. Improving the nutritional status of
pregnant mothers through nutrition counseling at antenatal care at all levels and improving
socio-economic status by creating access to micro financing is essential for both maternal
and newborn health.
