Prevalence and associated factors of low birth weight at Madda walabu university goba referral hospital, bale Zone, oromia region, south east Ethiopia, 2023: hospital Based cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Many studies define low birth weight as a weight of less than 2500 g at birth. Birth weight is an important indicator and prognostic factor for the health of newborns. Low birth weight might result from preterm delivery or restricted intrauterine growth. Out of 139 million live births worldwide, over 20 million are low birth weight babies, and around 95.6% of those babies are born in developing nations. Ethiopia has high under five mortality rates in the world. Only 5% of newborns were weighed at birth in Ethiopia. Designing cost-effective intervention techniques to lower low birth weight rates requires a deeper knowledge of the causes of low birth weight. This study was designed to measure the prevalence of low birth weight and to assess the factors that contribute to low birth weight in the study area. Methods: An institutional-based cross sectional study was conducted at Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital from November 30, 2022 to February 30, 2023. The mothers did a detailed interview, and the newborns completed the required measurements. Using a pretested structured questionnaire, information on demographic characteristics, nutritional status, infectious diseases, and obstetrical factors were gathered from laboring mothers. Epidata version 4.6.0.2 was used for data entry, and SPSS version 25 was used for analysis. Candidate variables were screened using a binary logistic regression analysis and those with a P-value of <0.25 were included to a multiple logistic regression analysis. The goodness-of-fit was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. A P-value of <0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of low birth weight was 13.27% (95% CI: 10.13, 16.41). The odds mothers’ mid-upper arm circumference less than 23cm was 5.22(AOR =95% CI: 2.42, 11.24), the odds of lack of nutritional counseling during ANC follow up was 2.65, (AOR = 95% CI: (1.13, 6.23), the odds of presence of anemia during pregnancy was 2.86(AOR = 2.86, 95% CI: (1.40, 5.84), and the odds of mothers who did not have Antenatal-care follow-up during pregnancy 9.46, (AOR = 9.46, 95% CI: 3.69, 24.28) were significantly associated with low birth weight. Conclusion and recommendations: Mothers’ mid-upper arm circumference less than 23cm, lack of nutritional counseling, not following antenatal care and being anemic during current pregnancy were significantly associated with low birth weight. Improving the socio-economic status of mothers, increasing Ante natal care utilization, and integrating nutrition counseling into antenatal care can reduce low birth weight.