Low Body Mass Index, Anaemia and Poor Perinatal Outcome in a Rural Hospital in Eastern Sudan

Background: The first step in improving early neonatal survival is to document rate of these deaths, identify the common causes. Objectives: the study was conducted at New Halfa hospital, eastern Sudan to investigate the prevalence and possible risk factors for a poor perinatal outcome, mainly low birth weight (LBW), APGAR score ₅ at 1 min, fetal anaemia and perinatal mortality. Results: LBW occurred in 15. 3%, the perinatal death was 9. 2%. Maternal low body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with LBW (OR ¹. 8, 95% CI ¹. 0-3. 2; p ⁰. 02), which was a risk factor for APGAR score ₅ at 1 min (OR ¹1. 5, 95% CI ⁵. 9-22. 5; p _ 0. 001) and perinatal mortality (OR ⁶. 5, 95% CI ². 9-14. 8, p _ 0. 00001). Maternal anaemia was a risk factor for fetal anaemia (OR ². 1, 95% CI ¹. 4-3. 1; p _ 0. 001). Conclusion: More attention to maternal nutrition and in an attempt to prevent anaemia may lead to improvement in the perinatal outcome.