OBSTETRIC RISK-FACTORS AFFECTING INCIDENCE OF LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT IN LIVE-BORN INFANTS

This study was conducted to determine the incidence of low birth weigh t (LBW) in the indigenous population of Al An and to identify some ris k factors associated with it. The population studied included all cons ecutive deliveries, occurring in the 3 hospitals in Al Ain City, where almost all deliveries take place, during a 1-year period. When a LBW infant (<2,500 g) was born, gestational age assessment was made and a questionnaire completed during an interview with the mother. For contr ol, the first baby who weighed more than 2,500 g at birth, following t he birth of a LBW was recruited. It was found that a total of 3,485 li ve births occurred of which 293 were classified as LBW, giving an LBW incidence of 8.4%. Of these, 73 (24.9%) were small for gestational age (<10th percentile for gestational age). Overall, the mothers of LBW i nfants were found to be statistically significantly younger in age. Th e mothers of LBW infants also had a significantly higher number of pre vious LBW deliveries, twin deliveries and a larger number of premature rupture of membranes. The factors that were not significantly differe nt in the 2 groups were diabetes during pregnancy, chronic hypertensio n, preeclampsia/eclampsia, occurrence of significant infection during pregnancy, 1st and 2nd trimester bleeding, and antepartum hemorrhage. This is the first comprehensive study on the incidence of LBW infants in the United Arab Emirates. The main obstetric factors responsible fo r this were found to be age, number of previous LBW babies, premature rupture of membranes and multiple births.