weight in 4 hospitals in Sana’a city,

irth weight has been served as the primary operational index of maturity of the infant at birth for the past 50 or more years, and is still one of the principal measures of the health status of the newborn used in clinical and epidemiological studies. Low birth weight (LBW) (<2500 grams) is the most significant predictor of the risk of death or a baby's health, growth and development.1 This study, conducted in Yemen, addressed Ramadan fasting as the specific variable that is of cultural interest in Yemen. The aim of this study is to assess the incidence of LBW and to study the effect of Ramadan fasting on LBW. The risk factor is important and feasible to study. The population of Yemen is more than 15,000,000 according to 1994 census. Maternal mortality is high 1000 per 100,000 live births. Infant mortality rate was 80.9 per 1000 live births as reported in the statistical yearbook 1995 and 124 in the World Bank estimate. The under 5 mortality rate was 122 per 1000 live births. The total fertility rate was 8.2, the crude birth rate was 52.6 and the crude death rate was 21 per 1000 live birth in 1995. Life expectancy at birth was 57.4 years.2 In comparison with other parts of Yemen, Sana’a city has the richest of health facilities. The health facilities comprise of 8 government and 18 private hospitals, 6 health centers with no beds, 27 private dispensaries and 279 pharmacies and drug stores. The bed population ratio in Sana’a city is 1:270.3 To ensure representativeness of the sample, all mothers delivered in Sana’a hospitals and not residing in Sana’a city were excluded from the study. All mothers delivering in Sana’a hospitals during the period of the data collection were almost 10%. The dependent variable for the study was LBW (a weight of less than 2500 grams). The independent variable that was investigated in relation to LBW was the Ramadan fasting. All respondents, without any refusals, giving a 100 % response rate, obtained complete interviews. All consecutive births in the