Low birth weight infants at Machakos provincial hospital, Kenya: incidence, aetiology and mortality

Abstract

A Prospective study on Low Birth Weight babies was carried out at Machakos Provincial Hospital. During the four months period of study, a total of 1433 babies were delivered, out of whom 133 babies weighed 2500 grams and below, giving an incidence of Low Birth weight of 9.3%. The results have been compared with findings from other studies done in Kenya and in other countries. The incidence of LBW reported in this study is much lower than is reported in Nairobi and higher than that reported in the Machakos Field study. Sixty eight (56.7%) babies were preterm with low birth weight due to shortened gestation. 40.0% of the babies were small for gestation age. Factors that may have contributed to the delivery of low birth weight babies are discussed. Associated were maternal factors including the age, parity, height, marital status, maternal illness and attendance of the antenatal clinic. The highest number of LBW babies were delivered to adolescence mothers. Of the maternal medical diseases, febrile illness, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and antipartum haemorrhage were found to be important factors in the aetiology of low birth weight. Multiple pregnancy contributed 77.8% and congenital

malformations contributed 22.8% of low birth weight due to fetal causes. The overall incidence of neonatal deaths in the low birth weight babies in this study were 15.8% being highest in the very low birth weight babies (100%) and decreased with increasing birth weight. The major causes of death were hyaline membrane disease~ intraventricular haemorrhage~ congenital malformations aspiration and immaturity.