Birthweights in Katsina, Northern Nigeria

This study was undertaken to provide more information on birth weights incidence of low birth weight as well as level of acceptance of the mothers of modern medical care amongst a predominantly Muslim population which still follows traditional beliefs and practices. A standardized questionnaire was administered to 182 women who delivered in the Specialist Maternity Unit. Information was obtained on attendances for antenatal care age parity and husbands occupation. Forthe babies information was gathered on birth weight sex and multiple births. There were 20 156 mothers who attended for antenatal care in the study year but only 11% of them eventually delivered in hospital. Preference for home deliveries may be due to distance to the SMU and fear of missing some traditional practices surrounding delivery which are not allowed in the hospital. The utilization of the hospital services mainly by the skilled workers has shown the need for health education in the lower social groups so that they can benefit from the antenatal services but also from hospital deliveries. The mean birth weight of Katsina babies was 3029 kg. The males were significantly heavier than the females. The traditional milk diet of this population has no doubt influenced the mean birth weight upwards compared to the Malumfashi babies.