Customized Birthweight Standard for the Population in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of maternal physiological and pathological factors on fetal birth weight in pregnancies in Kazakhstan.

METHODS

This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2016 to December 2021 at Aksu City Hospital, Atyrau Regional Perinatal Center, Altai Interdistrict Hospital, Abay Regional Perinatal Center of the Health Department, and Astana Multidisciplinary City Hospital No. 3, in the Republic of Kazakhstan using the stratified randomization grouping method. The study involved two maternal ethnicity groups, Asian (5101; 77.91%) and European (1446; 22.09%). All statistical analyses were performed using Stat Tech version 3.0.9 and SPSS 26.0.

RESULTS

This study involved 6547 pregnant women. Fetuses weighing < 2500 g were more common in the Asian group than in the European one (P = 0.001), while large fetuses (> 4000 g) were more common in the European group (P = 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that a history of arterial hypertension and preeclampsia leads to decreased fetal weight, while gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was associated with increased fetal weight. In the Asian ethnic group, maternal physiological factors and a history of arterial hypertension, preeclampsia, and GDM significantly influenced fetal birth weight. In the European group, a history of hypertension and GDM did not affect birth weight.

CONCLUSION

Stillbirth and perinatal death were more likely among women of the Asian ethnic group when compared with women of the European ethnic group. Therefore, it is necessary to account for the maternal physiological and pathological factors that may influence fetal birth weight when assessing optimal fetal birth weight.