Sex, Conception Interval, Gestational Age, Apgar Score, and Anthropometric Surrogates in relation to Birth Weight of Bangladeshi Newborns: A Cross-Sectional Study
In developing countries, where about 75% of births occur at home or in the community, logistic problems prevent the weighing of every newborn child. Baby born with a weight less than 2,500？g is considered low birth weight, since below this value birth-specific infant mortality begins to rise rapidly. In Bangladesh, the prevalence of low birth weight is unacceptably high. Infant's sex differences, birth to conception interval, gestational age, and Apgar score are associated with infant birth weight. To screen low-birth-weight babies, simple anthropometric parameters can be used in rural areas where 80–90% of deliveries take place. A sample of 343 newborn singletons, 186 male and 157 female babies, were studied in Southwest region of Bangladesh to examine the birth weight status of newborns and to identify the relationship between birth weight and other anthropometric parameters of newborns. The mean birth weight was ？g, and 28.6% were low-birth-weight (<2,500？g) babies. All key anthropometric parameters of the newborns significantly correlated with infant birth weight . Mid upper arm circumference and chest circumference were identified as the optimal surrogate indicators of LBW babies. In the community where weighing of newborns is difficult, these measurements can be used to identify the LBW babies. 1. Introduction In recent years, there has been a considerable interest in using simple anthropometric measures as a proxy for birth weight. Of the approximately four million global neonatal deaths that occur annually, 98% occur in developing countries, where most newborns die at home while they are being cared for by mothers, relatives, and traditional birth attendants (TBAs) [1]. About 38% of total under-five mortality occurs during the first 28 days of life, and nearly three-quarters of these deaths occur during the first week of life [2]. Globally, about one-sixth of all newborns are low birth weight (LBW, <2500 grams), which is the single most important underlying risk factor for neonatal deaths [1, 3]. Only about half of the newborns are weighed at birth, and for a smaller proportion of them gestational age is known [4]. An estimated 18 million babies are born with LBW and half of them are born in South Asia [5]. Although these LBW babies account for 14% of the children born, they account for 60–80% of neonatal deaths [6]. Moreover, LBW babies who survive the critical neonatal period may suffer impaired physical and mental growth. Therefore, an early identification and prompt referral of LBW newborns is vital in preventing neonatal deaths. Available
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