الفهرس 
AcknoledgmentOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The birth weight of an infant depends on many genetic and non-genetic variables. Deviation of birth weight [Tom the nonnal range is of great concern because of the increased incidence of mortality and morbidity for both low and high birth weight infants. Maternal influence on birth weight has been extensively studied, because part of this influence is potentially modifiable. There are a number of factors that reflect the sociodemographic and life style baclq,YfOlmd of a pregnant woman such as; age, education, occupation and smoking and are supposed to influence birth weight. Most of these factors are thought to have an indirect influence on birth weight, that is, they reflect the increased frequency of other more direct factors in a pre!:,1nant woman. Maternal nutritional status prior to and during pregnancy is a critical aetenninant of birth weight. Height, weight, BMI, and mid-ann circumference reflect matenlal nutritional status prior to pregnancy. Matemal weight gain during pregnancy accounts for the largest proportion of the variations in birth weight. Optimal weight gains are different according to prepregnant nutritional status. Prepregnancy weight and weight gain are independent and completely additive in their effect on birth weight. Researches examining the value of antenatal care support the fact that antenatal care exerts a positive influence on birth weight. The aim of the current study is to examine the relation of some maternal variables; socio-demographic, biological, reproductive and nutritional to birth weight, with the following specific objectives: 1- Identification of the socio-demObYTaphic, biological and reproductive characteristics of the study sample. 2- Analysis of the working status of the study sample. 3- Assessment of the nutritional status of the study sample. 4- Monitoring weight gain during pref,>nancy. 5- Detennination of adequacy of antenatal care. The study settings of the present study were: EI-Ramel antenatal clinic, one of the ANC affiliated to HIO in Alexandria, and the newborn unit of Gamal Abdel Naser Hospital, one of the HIO hospitals in Alexandria. The target populations were working pregnant women attending the chosen clinic for their ANC visits and the offspring of women who delivered in the selected hospital. Sampling technique runs through the following stages: A) Screening of all pregnant women attending the clinic for three months to select women fulfilling the following inclusion criteria: 1- Sure reliable date of the last menstrual period. 2- Gestational age below 16th weeks. 3- No previous, or present medical complications and no present gestational complications; neither by history, clinical examination, nor by laboratory investigation routinely done in the clinic. B) Those selected were followed up throughout their preb1Jlancy till delivery, according to their schedule, after exclusion of the dropouts, those who developed gestational diabetes and those who proved to have twin pregnancy. Sample size started by two hundred and twelve (212) pregnant women and ended by one lumdred and forty nine (149) to be followed up through their pregnancy. Out of them one hundred and six (106) delivered in the selected hospital and their offspring constituted the sample newboms. Initially, socio-demographic, biological, reproductive and occupational characteristics were obtained from the pregnant women using a pre-coded structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements of the prebynant women were measured at their initial ANC visit; height, weight, MAC, and BMI was calculated. During follow up, weight was measured at each ANC ~sit and weight gain was calculated; total, mean weight gain per week, and the mean weight gain per week during the second and third trimester separately. The birth weight of the newboms was measured within 24 hours of delivery. The data were coded, computerized and analyzed using; means (X) and standard deviations (SD), one way ANOV A, simple correlation coefficient for all variables and stepwise multiple regression analysis for the statistically significant variables and some important but statistically insignificant variables using fOllr models. The variables included in the four models were; father’s education, socioeconomic score, parity, inter-birth interval, fatigue score, maternal height, prepregnancy weight, BMI, total weight gain and mean weight gain per week during pref,:rnancy, total number of ANC visits, and adequacy of ANC and gestational age. In addition, percentile curves were constructed for maternal weight and BMI During pref,rnancy after smoothing. The results of the present work showed that: . The mean age of the sample pregnant women was 29.7:!::4.5 years.