Abstract

RODRIGUEZ DOMINGUEZ, Pedro Lorenzo; HERNANDEZ CABRERA, Jesús  and  GARCIA LEON, Lázaro Tomás. Proposition to reduce maternal factors in low birth weight. Rev Cubana Obstet Ginecol [online]. 2012, vol.38, n.4, pp. 488-498. ISSN 0138-600X.

Introduction: low birth weight increases significantly the risk of neonatal and infant morbidity, causing family disruption and overhead budgets for neonatal intensive and special care in our country. Therefore, attention to the little ones constitutes a public health problem. Objective: to develop a proposal for action to reduce maternal factors or causes related to low birth weight. Methods: a prospective study was performed to characterize the behavior of low birth weight and its relationship to maternal causes predisposing lightweight in 123 infants, who were compared with an equal number of infants weighing less than 2 500 g, from 2001 to 2007, from the health area "Jose Jacinto Milanés" in Matanzas. The variables studied included maternal age, nutritional assessment, weight gain and birth intervals, obstetric history, maternal disease, and smoking habit. Results: there was close relationship between low birth weight and maternal malnutrition, poor weight gain and short time intervals between pregnancies, in nulliparous women with history of induced abortions, hypertensive disorders, and smoking. Conclusions: an educational and medical action plan was proposed to work on maternal factors associated with low birth weight. We recommend to further study other health areas, to communicate results, to present this proposal in events and to generalize it to other institutions.

Keywords : low birth weight; maternal factors; proposed action.

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