Maternal Determinants of Birth Weight Variation Among Term Low Birth Weight Neonates in Taif, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION

Low birth weight (LBW) remains an important maternal and neonatal health concern, including among infants delivered at term. This study assessed maternal factors associated with variation in birth weight among term LBW neonates in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 mothers who delivered term LBW neonates at Taif's Maternity Hospital, King Faisal Medical Complex. Maternal demographic, nutritional, hematological, medical, obstetric, and familial characteristics were assessed. Birth weight was analyzed as a continuous outcome using bivariate analyses and hierarchical multiple linear regression. Additional interaction analyses examined whether body mass index (BMI) and iron supplementation modified the association between maternal hemoglobin (Hb) and birth weight.

RESULTS

The neonates had a mean birth weight of 2.20 ± 0.20 kg and a mean gestational age of 38.4 ± 1.22 weeks. Maternal anemia was present in 51.3% of participants, with a mean Hb concentration of 10.85 ± 1.66 g/dL. Maternal Hb was independently associated with birth weight (B = -0.028, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.051 to -0.005; p = 0.020), while BMI showed a borderline association (B = 0.027, 95% CI: -0.002 to 0.056; p = 0.071). Consanguinity was independently associated with birth weight (B = 0.061, 95% CI: 0.004-0.118; p = 0.037). The final hierarchical model explained 14.2% of the variance in birth weight. The Hb × BMI and Hb × iron supplementation interaction terms did not significantly improve model fit.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal Hb and consanguinity were independently associated with birth-weight variation among term LBW neonates, while BMI showed a weaker association. Further prospective studies are warranted to clarify these findings.