Incidence & Risk factors for Low birth weight, Very Low birth weight & Extremely Low birth weight babies in Western Rajasthan

Introduction: To find out the incidence of Low birth weight babies and assess the various risk factors responsible or contributing the production of Low birth weight, Very low birth weight, Extremely low birth weight babies. Materials and Method: Babies with birth weight 2500 grams or below were included in the study. The detailed maternal history including complications during pregnancy and all parameters of included babies like gestational age of newborn (assessed by modified perkin's criterion) were noted in predesigned proforma. Results: The incidence of Low birth weight (LBW), Very low birth weight (VLBW) and Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies was 30.725%, 2.72% and 0.89% respectively. Maximum number of mothers who delivers LBW, VLBW and ELBW babies were belonged the age group of 20-35 years. We found that mothers with 2nd and 3rd parity had better birth weight (37.4%) in LBW group, as compare to primipara (32.2%) and grand multipara (30.5%). Mothers with PIH had delivered the maximum numbers of LBW babies. Conclusion: There was increased risk of delivering LBW babies in teenage pregnancy, primipara, grand multipara, mothers with anemia, APH, PIH and Chronic UTI.