RISK-FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE INFANTS IN A TURKISH POPULATION

Objective: To investigate the risk factors associated with small for g estational age infants in a Turkish population. Method: Five hundred a nd nine births took place in our clinic between March 1, 1990 and May 31, 1991. The 420 that were alive, single, without any anomaly, and ha d sufficient data available were enrolled in this study. Of these, the re were 40 small for gestational age infants and 380 appropriate for g estational age infants. Results: Small for gestational age infant birt hs were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) more frequent in those who had an interpregnancy interval of less than 12 months. When those who had an interpregnancy interval of over 12 months were taken as a reference, then the risk of small for gestational age infant birt h was 13.7 times higher in those who had an interpregnancy interval of less than 12 months, and it was found that 43% of small for gestation al age infant births would be avoided if the birth interval could be i ncreased over 12 months (Odd ratio, 13.7; 95% confidence limit, 2.5-74 .7; attributable risk, 43%; P < 0.01). It was also found that the risk of giving birth to a small for gestational age infant was 5.9 times h igher (confidence limit, 3.2-8.3) in hypertensive pregnant women and t hat the attributable risk was 27% (P < 0.01). Conclusion: For our popu lation the short interpregnancy interval and presence of hypertensive disease were found to be the most important preventable risk factors.