A study on birth weight in a teaching-referral hospital, Gondar, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of birth weight of neonates in a teaching-referral hospital and to identify some epidemiological parameters associated with them. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective descriptive study, using a pre-prepared Questionnaire, on all deliveries in the maternity ward during one year. SETTING: The Gondar College of Medical Sciences Hospital, Gondar, north western Ethiopia. RESULTS: 810 consecutive hospital births were recorded. The mean birth weight of 373 full term singleton neonates was 3 003g (SD600). The incidence of low birth weight (birth weight < 2 500 g) and very low birth weight (birth weight < 1 500 g) was 15.4% and 2.6% respectively. The mean birth weight and percentage of low birth weight were significantly different in both sexes (p < 0.0001). The birth weight increases as parity and length of gestation increase. As maternal age and maternal height increase, so do the birth weights of their neonates in this study. Total house hold income, maternal education and antenatal care use were not found to influence the mean birth weight in this study. CONCLUSION: The mean birth weight and prevalence of low birth weight are similar to other reports from Ethiopia. It was observed that as maternal age, maternal height, parity and length of gestation increase, the mean birth weight increase in this study.