Background: Anemia is a very common condition found in pregnant women, which has a deleterious effect on foetal wellbeing including weight gain of fetus. Studies indicate that anemia in pregnancy is a risk factor low birth weight and possibly for inferior neonatal health. The present study is done to determine the effect of the maternal hemoglobin on birth weight.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. All pregnant females with single live pregnancy were included in this study. After the selection criteria was satisfied, all term babies born to pregnant females with single live pregnancy were examined and birth weight was recovered on a digital weighing scale.  

Results: Among the anemic mothers, 39 (27.3%) had mild anemia (Hb: 10 – 10.9), 32 (22.4%) had moderate anemia (Hb: 7 – 9.9) and 9 (6.3%) had severe anemia (Hb: <7). Of the 143 newborns born to those mothers, 74 (51.7%) weighed between 2500 – 3500 grams, 56 (39.2%) were low birth weight (<2500g) babies and only 13 (9.1%) were above 3500 grams.

Conclusions: According to our study, anemic mothers delivered babies with low birth weight than non-anemic mothers. Present study showed prevalence of low-birth-weight babies to be 39.2%. Interventions to reduce low birth weight should be specific for specific populations. Approaches to improve the health of the women are needed to reduce the low-birth-weight problem in India.

Keywords: Maternal haemoglobin, Anemia, Low birth weight.

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Dr Shruti Dhale

Associate Professor, Department of Peadiatrics, Grant Government Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – 400008