Low-birth-weight babies among hospital deliveries in Nepal: a hospital-based study

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic distribution of mother (n=255)

Characteristics	n (%)	95% CI
Age, years
20–34	162 (63.5)	58.1–69.9
≥35	5 (2.0)	0.2–3.8
<20	88 (34.5)	29.1–40.9
Mean ± SD	23.23±4.18
Ethnicity
Nonindigenous	88 (34.5)	29.1–40.9
Indigenous	167 (65.5)	60.1–71.9
Religion
Hindu	233 (91.4)	87.5–94.5
Other than Hindu	22 (8.6)	5.5–12.5
Education
Secondary and above	132 (51.8)	45.9–58.1
Primary and none	123 (48.2)	41.9–54.1
Occupation
Formal employment	52 (20.4)	15.1–24.9
Nonformal employment	203 (79.6)	75.1–84.9
Family size
≤4 members	88 (34.5)	29.1–40.9
>4 members	167 (65.5)	60.1–71.9
Income/month
≤5,000.00 NRS	111 (43.5)	37.9–50.1
>5,000.00 NRS	144 (56.5)	50.9–63.1
50 and 75 percentile	5,000 NRS and 8,000 NRS, respectively
Number of children
≤2 children	234 (91.8)	88.7–95.3
>2 children	21 (8.2)	4.7–11.3
Sex of baby
Male	153 (60.0)	53.9–66.1
Female	102 (40.0)	33.9–46.1

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; NRS, Nepalese Rupees; SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Behavioral and biological characteristics (n=255)

Characteristics	n (%)	95% confidence interval
Low-birth-weight baby	59 (23.1)	17.9, 28.1
Nonvegetarian diet	230 (90.2)	86.3, 93.7
Iron user	247 (96.9)	94.8, 99.2
Weight of previous baby (<2.5 kg) (n=95)	10 (3.9)	0.1, 7.9
Preterm delivery	40 (15.7)	11.5, 20.5
No rest during pregnancy at daytime	115 (45.1)	38.9, 51.1
>2 years’ age gap with previous baby (n=95)	92 (95.8)	89.4, 98.7

Table 3 Simple and multivariate logistic regression with low birth weight (n=255)

Characteristics	Low birth weight (%), n=59	Crude odds ratio (95% CI)	Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI)
Maternal age (years)
>20 (Ref)	28 (47.5)	Ref	Ref
≤20	31 (52.5)	0.37 (0.20, 0.67)	0.53 (0.12, 2.32)
Ethnicity
Nonindigenous (Ref)	15 (25.4)	Ref	Ref
Indigenous	44 (74.6)	0.57 (0.30, 1.10)	0.69 (0.18, 2.58)
Religion
Hindu (Ref)	53 (89.8)	Ref	Ref
Other than Hindu	6 (10.2)	0.76 (0.29, 2.11)	0.80 (0.10, 6.06)
Education
Secondary and above (Ref)	26 (44.1)	Ref	Ref
Primary and none	33 (55.9)	0.67 (0.37, 1.20)	0.64 (0.16, 2.55)
Occupation
Formal employment (Ref)	14 (23.7)	Ref	Ref
Nonformal employment	45 (76.3)	1.29 (0.64, 2.60)	2.14 (0.52, 8.74)
Family size
≤4 members (Ref)	19 (32.2)	Ref	Ref
>4 members	40 (67.8)	0.87 (0.47, 1.62)	0.67 (0.18, 2.58)
Income per month
≤5,000 NRS	39 (66.1)	0.59 (0.32, 1.09)	0.87 (0.22, 3.50)
>5,000 NRS (Ref)	20 (33.9)	Ref	Ref
Number of children
≤2 children (Ref)	53 (89.8)	Ref	Ref
>2 children	6 (10.2)	0.73 (0.27, 1.98)	0.55 (0.138, 2.24)
Food habit
Nonvegetarian (Ref)	52 (88.1)	Ref	Ref
Vegetarian	7 (11.9)	0.75 (0.30, 1.90)	1.47 (0.23, 9.36)
Weight of previous baby (n=22)
<2.5 kg	3 (5.1)	0.67 (0.16, 2.85)	0.50 (0.09, 2.90)
≥2.5 kg (Ref)	19 (32.5)	Ref	Ref
Age gap with previous baby (n=22)
<2 years	1 (1.7)	0.89 (0.09, 8.98)	1.06 (0.06, 17.48)
≥2 years (Ref)	21 (35.6)	Ref	Ref
Rest during pregnancy
No rest	29 (49.2)	0.74 (0.41, 1.33)	1.38 (0.41, 4.39)
≥2 hours (Ref)	30 (50.8)	Ref	Ref
Type of delivery
Vaginal delivery (Ref)	35 (59.3)	Ref	Ref
Cesarean section	24 (40.7)	0.67 (0.37, 1.23)	1.06 (0.30, 3.73)
Parity
≤2 (Ref)	53 (89.8)	Ref	Ref
≥3	6 (10.2)	0.73 (0.27, 1.98)	0.55 (0.14, 2.24)
Wormicide used
Yes (Ref)	33 (55.9)	Ref	Ref
No	26 (44.1)	0.51 (0.28, 0.92)	0.41 (0.12, 1.32)

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; Ref, reference; NRS, Nepalese Rupees.