الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Birth weight of the newborns is a variable of international interest; it is also one of the indicators of maternal and neonatal health. Babies born weighing less than 2.5 kg were defined as Low birth weight (LBW). Several implications have been reported as consequences of Low birth weight; neonatal mortalities and morbidities, even childhood and long-term health problems.
Low birth weight is a result of being born either too small (intra uterine growth retardation) or too early (preterm labor), however many factors and causes have been contributed to low birth weight. These factors relate to mother, neonate and the surrounding environment. Maternal nutritional status prior to and during pregnancy is a factor of great concern.
This cross sectional study aims in general to investigate nutritional risk factors of mothers of LBW infants in Alexandria, beside assessing the nutritional status of pregnant women at the third trimester, determining the frequency of LBW among the studied sample of women and identify maternal risk factors associated with LBW, with emphasis on the role of dietary pattern (habits and intake) specifically.
It included 511 pregnant women at their 3rd trimester of pregnancy, who attended El- Shatby and Dar Ismail maternity hospitals to receive antenatal care services. The studied women have been interviewed according to a pre-designed questionnaire to collect data about their dietary habits and life style practices and to fulfill dietary intake assessment, beside other personal, socio-economic, obstetric and antenatal care data. After giving birth, birth weight of the newborns has been measured and babies have been categorized into LBW and normal weight. 85.3% of the newborns were considered as normal birth weight (NBW), and 14.7 % were of LBW distributed as: 0.2% extremely low birth weight, 1% very low birth weight, 13.5 % low birth weight. Mean age of NBW group of mothers was 26.65 5.00 years and of LBW one was 25.07 5.73 years.
Mothers of LBW group were gaining less weight than the recommended compared to NBW group. The majority of NBW group of mothers met the recommendations regarding meal pattern and were practicing more healthy eating behaviors than LBW group. NBW group of mothers consumed more nutritional supplements. On the other hand LBW group of mothers were performing strenuous physical activity as a part of their daily routine. Anemia was prevalent among LBW group of mothers.
The median daily dietary intake for the whole sample was below the DRI required for pregnant women during 3rd trimester except for carbohydrates; the intake was exceeding the recommended amount, with no difference regarding dietary intake, % adequacy and % density of consumed nutrients between both groups of mothers. Only dietary intake of vitamin C was one of the predictors of birth weight. Others non- nutritional factors contributed to LBW were: young age pregnancy, large sized family and low income, multiple gestations, gestational age of less than 38 weeks, hypertension, and minimum or absent antenatal care.
According to the findings of the study, we recommend to raise the awareness about the importance of healthy dieting during pregnancy and the negative consequences of having LBW infant. Emphasizing on the role of additional nutrients during pregnancy to get a healthy, well-developed child is needed.
Birth weight of the newborns is a variable of international interest; it is also one of the indicators of maternal and neonatal health. Babies born weighing less than 2.5 kg were defined as Low birth weight (LBW). Several implications have been reported as consequences of Low birth weight; neonatal mortalities and morbidities, even childhood and long-term health problems.
Low birth weight is a result of being born either too small (intra uterine growth retardation) or too early (preterm labor), however many factors and causes have been contributed to low birth weight. These factors relate to mother, neonate and the surrounding environment. Maternal nutritional status prior to and during pregnancy is a factor of great concern.
This cross sectional study aims in general to investigate nutritional risk factors of mothers of LBW infants in Alexandria, beside assessing the nutritional status of pregnant women at the third trimester, determining the frequency of LBW among the studied sample of women and identify maternal risk factors associated with LBW, with emphasis on the role of dietary pattern (habits and intake) specifically.
It included 511 pregnant women at their 3rd trimester of pregnancy, who attended El- Shatby and Dar Ismail maternity hospitals to receive antenatal care services. The studied women have been interviewed according to a pre-designed questionnaire to collect data about their dietary habits and life style practices and to fulfill dietary intake assessment, beside other personal, socio-economic, obstetric and antenatal care data. After giving birth, birth weight of the newborns has been measured and babies have been categorized into LBW and normal weight. 85.3% of the newborns were considered as normal birth weight (NBW), and 14.7 % were of LBW distributed as: 0.2% extremely low birth weight, 1% very low birth weight, 13.5 % low birth weight. Mean age of NBW group of mothers was 26.65 5.00 years and of LBW one was 25.07 5.73 years.
Mothers of LBW group were gaining less weight than the recommended compared to NBW group. The majority of NBW group of mothers met the recommendations regarding meal pattern and were practicing more healthy eating behaviors than LBW group. NBW group of mothers consumed more nutritional supplements. On the other hand LBW group of mothers were performing strenuous physical activity as a part of their daily routine. Anemia was prevalent among LBW group of mothers.
The median daily dietary intake for the whole sample was below the DRI required for pregnant women during 3rd trimester except for carbohydrates; the intake was exceeding the recommended amount, with no difference regarding dietary intake, % adequacy and % density of consumed nutrients between both groups of mothers. Only dietary intake of vitamin C was one of the predictors of birth weight. Others non- nutritional factors contributed to LBW were: young age pregnancy, large sized family and low income, multiple gestations, gestational age of less than 38 weeks, hypertension, and minimum or absent antenatal care.
According to the findings of the study, we recommend to raise the awareness about the importance of healthy dieting during pregnancy and the negative consequences of having LBW infant. Emphasizing on the role of additional nutrients during pregnancy to get a healthy, well-developed child is needed.