Birth weight and prematurity in Tanzania

The importance of birth weight as an index of nutritional status is discussed. The birth weights of 7528 singleton live births from 3 hospitals in Tanzania are reported. The overall mean weight for males was 6 lb. and for females 6 lb. Birth weights in hospitals are not necessarily typical of birth weights for the whole country. From the census report and other statistical data we estimate that approximately 12% of births in Tanzania take place in hospitals and other recognized medical institutions. Mean birth weights were lowest at Nzega, highest at Moshi and intermediate at Tanga. They run parallel with the economic status of the people in the three areas. As in studies elsewhere there were more male infants (52.1%) than female infants (47.9%) in the series. Birth weight by birth rank was investigated at Moshi. Birth weights of both males and females were significantly higher in second and subsequent births than in first-born infants. Birth weights were higher for third-born infants than for second-born infants in males, but not in females. Using the international standard for prematurity we found that 10.1% of births at Moshi were premature.