Determinants of Low Birth Weight among Children Born at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jharkhand, India

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major determinant of infant morbidity and mortality in India and globally. It is associated with poor neurological development, increased childhood morbidity, and growth impairment later in life. To support improved policy guidance and implementation, this study aimed to identify the common risk factors and determinants of LBW among babies delivered in a tertiary healthcare setting in Jharkhand. Methodology: We conducted a hospital-based case–control study including 400 mothers who delivered LBW babies as cases and 400 mothers who delivered normal birth weight babies as control. Data were collected through interviews and review of prior medical records of the mothers included. Descriptive and analytical analyses, including frequency distribution, t -test, odds ratio (OR) estimation, and regression were performed using JAMOVI software. Results: Higher socioeconomic status (OR = 2.278) of pregnant women and the presence of complications during pregnancy (OR = 4.665) were found to be significantly associated with LBW among newborns. Sanitary practices were comparable in both groups and majority of women in both groups had fewer than four antenatal care visits. More than 85% of women in both groups were anemic during pregnancy. Maternal anemia, birth order, and gestational age at delivery were not significantly associated with the birth weight of newborns. Conclusion: The presence of pregnancy-related complications and higher socioeconomic status was identified to be important determinants of LBW among newborns. The latter finding, contrary to previous studies, requires further investigation.