Evaluation of birth weight in comparison to other anthropometric parameters to detect low birth weight
Abstract
Background: Birth weight is an important determinant of child survival and development. Low birth weight is a major health problem in developing countries. Identification of low-birth-weight babies in the community and their screening to ascertain required level of care is very important to achieve normal goals in child survival. A large proportion of deliveries take place at home and there is need to develop simple, inexpensive, non-invasive and practical methods to identify LBW newborns soon after birth. The study was aimed to evaluate the relative usefulness and validity of chest, arm and occipito-frontal circumferences and to correlate them with birth weight to identify LBW babies. Objectives: To evaluate birth weight in comparison to other anthropometric parameters for detection of low-birth-weight babies. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among the low birth weight babies admitted in the Pediatric wards and the low birth weight babies born in the Obstetrics wards of Rajshahi Medical college hospital to evaluate birth weight in comparison to other anthropometric parameters to detect low birth weight by measuring birth weight (BW) at or just after birth, chest circumference (CC), mid-arm circumference (MAC), occipito-frontal circumference (OFC) and to find suitable surrogates for low birth weight by comparing different parameters. Results: 350 LBW newborns were studied. Their mean CC, OFC and MAC were 30.05cm, 31.61cm and 9.68cm respectively. Mean BW was 1975gm. There was significant relationship between birth weight and gestational age (p =<0.001), chest, mid-arm and occipito-frontal circumferences (p =<0.001). There was a positive correlation of birth weight to anthropometric parameters like chest, mid-arm and occipito-frontal circumferences but the highest correlation coefficient was found with mid-arm circumference (BW-MAC: r = 0.90, BW-CC: r = 0.75 and BW-OFC: r = 0.83). Mid – arm and chest circumferences were very good anthropometric surrogates of LBW. But MAC was the best surrogate (r = 0-90) to detect LBW babies. Conclusion: Anthropometric values are simple, practicable, quick and reliable indicators for early detection of LBW newborns in a community. MAC in our perspective can effectively be used as a surrogate for LBW.
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