| Abstrakt: |
The low birth weight babies are susceptible to hypoxia, fetal distress, long term handicap and fetal death and are at increased risk for perinatal morbidity and mortality. There is a proven direct relationship between socioeconomic status, maternal health, placental growth, fetal well-being and finally fetal outcome; fetal outcome being the best predictor of health status of the society. For the study, 60 discarded placenta and umbilical cord were collected at random from deliveries (both vaginal and caesarian). Thirty out of the sixty placentae were from controls (birth weight ≥ 2500gms) and thirty from low birth weight deliveries (birth weight <2500gms). Maternal factors like age, low socioeconomic status, educational status, haemoglobin level were significantly associated with low birth weight. The study also showed that approximate birth weight can be calculated with the level of maternal haemoglobin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
