IMPACT OF PROTEIN AND PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS INTAKE ON LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS WITH THE REFERENCE OF UJJAIN CITY

Low birth weight (LBW) has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO 1992) as weight at birth of less than 2500 gm. LBW at birth may be the outcome of either preterm birth (before 37 weeks of gestation) or retarded fetal (intrauterine) growth. LBW is associated with multiple problems such as fetal and neonatal mortality or morbidity. We undertook a retrospective studied or analysis of protein intake of women during gestational age and LBW (low birth weight) data available at the five hospitals situated in Ujjain city. The women who attended the ante-natal checkup or came for delivery were from the rural and peri-urban population of Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh, India. We also investigated the association between LBW, protein & protein supplements intake during gestation age. Information on all pregnant women who came for pre-natal check-ups and who delivered a child at the obstetrics and gynecology facility in the hospital during the period January 2015 to January 2016 were included in the analysis. Out of the total registered 200 cases of respondents, 111 (55.5%) women who followed or 89 (44.5%) women who are not followed all the inclusion criteria of the study were considered for data analysis and results were expressed by mean test. Among the newborns delivered to the mothers included in the study, 114 (57 %) were LBW, i.e., below 2500 although 86 (43%) had a normal a birth weight. As per the retrospective analysis we can conclude that, maximum weight gain of fetus occurs during the last 3 months of pregnancy. If pregnant women can be provided more additional protein and protein supplement, and proper maternal checkup during the pregnancy, the incidence of LBW can be reduced significantly.