Abstract

A baby’s weight at birth is a strong indicator of maternal and newborn health and nutrition. Being undernourished in the womb increases the risk of death in the early months and years of a child’s life. The incidence of low birthweight, defined as the proportion of newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams, is monitored through both health system surveillance and household surveys. In 2013, nearly 22 million newborns—an estimated 16 per cent of all babies born globally that year—had low birthweight. In south Asia it is as high as 28 per cent. At 28%, India had the third highest percentage of LBW newborns, behind only Mauritania (35%), Pakistan and Yemen (32% each).

The present study was conducted in the SNCU of MKCG medical college and hospital to evaluate the various socio cultural and maternal factors leading to low birth weight (LBW) babies and complication.

Keywords: Nutrition, Pregnancy complications, Literacy, LBW.