Burden and risk factors associated with low birth weight among newborns in a tertiary care hospital Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Birth weight is one of the significant determinants of perinatal survival and infant morbidity and illnesses during early childhood. The burden of LBW neonates in the developed world is around 7%, whereas it is more than double at around 16.5% in developing countries. Methods: The retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan. Data was extracted through the electronic medical record (EMR) with specific coding related to LBW from 1 st January 2019 to 31 st December 2020. Results: Our study showed LBW disease burden of 7.61% equated to 7% in the developed world while, in contrast with LBW prevalence in the developing countries, 16.5%. Gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and primigravida are the major risk factors associated with LBW. Conclusions: Our study concludes that antenatal care is one of the major aspects to decrease the incidence of LBW, especially in primigravida. By estimating LBW, we can plan early detection and prompt interventions against this problem, reducing the burden of morbidity and mortality in neonates.