Determinants of birth weight: A retrospective analysis at the University of Cape Coast Hospital

Abstract

Background: Although birth weight continues to be a key factor in determining the future physical and mental development of children, there is little surveillance data, especially in low-income settings where the incidence of low birth weight remains high. This present study aims to examine and model the probable association between maternal obstetric and socio-demographic factors and the birth weight of newborns born to mothers delivering at the University of Cape Coast Hospital in the Central Region of Ghana.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study analyzed birth records of 1030 deliveries at the Maternity Ward of the University of Cape Coast Hospital for the period of November 2020 through March 2022. The census sampling technique was used. The multiple linear regression method was used to model the association. Data were processed using SPSS v 22 and EViews 12 software packages.

Results: A total of 539 (52.33%) male and 491 (47.67%) female neonates were in the study sample. The mean birth weight was 3.21 kg [SD = .5 kg]. Low birth weight prevalence was 5.5%. Male newborns (3.24 kg) were significantly heavier (p < .001) than the females (3.18 kg). The best-fit model on the association between newborn birth weight (BW) and maternal obstetric and socio-demographic factors was: BW = 2.988 - .112Gender + .077Tertiary education + .042Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) dose + .039Parity + .113Gestation.

Conclusion: Public health interventions aimed at improving birth weight should focus on encouraging women education, preventing preterm deliveries and increasing uptake of Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine prophylaxis against malaria.