Maternal anthropometry as a predictor of birth weight. A study performed at Okhaldhunga Community Hospital in rural Nepal.

Background: Birth weight is a powerful predictor of infant growth and survival and is dependent on maternal health and nutrition during pregnancy. Objectives: The overall objective of this study was to investigate the relation between maternal nutritional status, as measured by anthropometrics, and birth weight of children at Okhaldhunga Community Hospital in rural Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional study among 515 singleton term births was conducted at Okhaldhunga Community Hospital (OCH) in rural Nepal from December 2011 to October 2012. The obstetric file recorded date of delivery, age, weight, height and MUAC of the mother and birth weight and sex of the new born. The effect of these variables on birth weight was investigated by bivariate analysis (ANOVA) and multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: Mean birth weight +/- SD was 2967 g +/- 399 g. There were found significant differences in birth weight within groups of sex-, height- and pregnant BMI (low, medium and high). Maternal pregnant BMI and height showed the highest significant correlations, with correlation coefficients respectively 0.254 and 0.148. The multivariate linear regression analysis showed that pregnant BMI and height made the strongest contribution explaining birth weight, with standardized coefficients respectively 0.398 and 0.273. These two variables was the only ones that turned out to be statistically significant (p< 0.05) in the multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion: Pregnant BMI and height were found to be the most important factors explaining birth weight. MUAC and sex of birth showed a weak correlation to birth weight. Season of birth and age of mother did not appear to have any influence of importance