Low birth weight and risk factors among neonates delivered in Khartoum Teaching Hospital in January – February 2007

الملخص EN

The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence and possible risk factors for LBW in Khartoum Teaching Hospital, Sudan.

Fifty pregnant women, 14-45 years old, were selected randomly from those admitted to the labor ward of Khartoum Teaching Hospital during the period from January to February 2007.

A structured questionnaire was administered to each woman to gather social and medical information.

Neonates were weighed immediately using a standardized weight scale to the nearest 50 g.

LBW was considered when birth weight was less than 2500g.

The percentage of LBW among neonates of the study group was 12 %, normal birth weight was 78 %, whereas high birth weight was 10 %.

Cigarette passive smoking was found to be significantly related to LBW (p < 0.

05 %).

Other risk factors like, age, education, occupation, parity, past history of twins and anemia had no effect on LBW.

The proportion of LBW among neonates delivered in Khartoum Teaching Hospital was found to be 12 %.

The relation of passive smoking to low birth weight was found to be highly significant