Newborn Anthropometry: Effects of Socio-demographic Factors and Maternal Anthropometry

Abstract

Summary Background: The size of the newborn at birth is affected by maternal nutrition. It is therefore conceivable that birth weight would also be influenced by maternal anthropometrywhich in turn, is often influenced by maternal nutrition and socio-economic factors. In this study, the effects of maternal anthropometry and socio-demographic factors on the newborn weight, length, and occipito-frontal circumference (OFC), were evaluated. Methods: Consecutive apparently healthy term newborns on the postnatal wards of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City were recruited for the study. Their birth weights, lengths and OFC were measured and recorded. The weights, heights, parities and socioeconomic status of their mothers which had earlier been determined at their first antenatal visits, were also recorded. The effects of maternal socio-demographic variables on their babies'weights, lengths and OFC were then evaluated by multivariate logistic regression models. Result: Four hundred and forty three babies were recruited for the study; 235 (53.05 percent) of them were females. The mean weight, length and OFC were 3.210 + 0.493 kg, 49.3 + 2.4 cm and 34.1 + 1.7 cm, respectively. The mean maternal age, weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were 29.93 + 4.69 years, 71.04 + 12.80 kg, 162.84 + 9.34 cm and 26.90 + 5.56 kg/m2, respectively. The logistic regression model showed that higher values of maternal weight and BMI independently had significant positive impact on the neonatal birth weight. The model had a good power of prediction, R2 = 54.30 percent. The models for length and OFC were not so predictive, R? being 26.86 percent and 20.93 percent, respectively. Conclusion: Larger babies are likely to be born to heavier mothers. The neonatal weight can be more accurately predicted by the maternal weight and BMI, than the neonatal length and OFC. Educating mothers on appropriate nutrition should contribute to normal birth weight for babies born at term