Selection of mothers with increased risk of delivery low birthweight newborns at a public maternity hospital in Rosario, Argentina

Abstract

A retrospective analysis was made of births occurring over a six-month period at apublic maternity hospital in the city of Rosario, Argentina, with a view to planningactions reducing the likelihood of low birthweight deliveries. Fifteen risk factorswere assessed. While a history of delivering a low birthweight infant was theleading risk factor for both intrauterine growth retardation and preterm delivery,the other leading risk factors for these two types of low birthweight newbornsdiffered. Many variables relating to socioeconomic and cultural levels that havetraditionally been considered risk factors for low birthweight did not display anysignificant association.Risk calculations for the study population were made using data gathered at thepatients? first prenatal checkup. These calculations indicated that mothers with oneor more of four leading risk factors (a history of deliver&g low birthweight newborns, smoking more than two cigarettes a day, weighing less than 46 kg, and beingless than 148 cm tall) constituted only 26.6% of the study populati.on but accountedfor 51.6% of the low birthweight deliveries. Such screening can provide an effectiveway of selecting high-risk mothers, and simple analyses of this sort are essential inplanning health actions relating to low birthweight deliveries.