Influence of Maternal Bio-Social Factors on Birth weight.

Abstract

Summary:, Influence of maternal bio-social factors, including age, pre-pregnancy weight/height, social class, birth order, birth-spacing, educational level and use of antenatal-care facilities, on birth weights of 1,238 singletons was studied over a period of six months at three hospitals in Ibadan. There was a significant (p<0.001) influence on birthweight by the age of the mother, such that teenage mothers gave birth to lighter babies than older mothers. The study also revealed that the most appropriate period in life for a woman to have normal size babies was between 25 and 29 years of age. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the mean birth weight of babies delivered by mothers weighing less than 70kg and those whose weights were 70kg and above, The difference between the mean birthweight of babies born by mothers in the upper social classes with or without university degree and that of babies bom by second ary school girls was significant (p<0.05). Among illiterate mothers, the incidence of low birthweight (LBW) was 13,1 percent, while it was 5.2 percent among mothers with university education. In order to improve upon infant birthweights and thus reduce the prevailing high incidence of LBW in developing countries, it is sug gested that adequate nutrition be promoted during child-bearing age; teenage mar riages and pregnancies be discouraged and women education be promoted and encouraged.