Incidence and determinants of low birth weight in Syrian government hospitals.

The incidence and determinants of low birth weight were studied in a stratified sample of 10,585 deliveries at 18 Syrian government hospitals. For each low-birth-weight baby born, two normal-birth-weight babies were recruited as a comparison group. A questionnaire was given to mothers and clinical examinations were performed on the neonates. The incidence of low birth weight was 6.6%. It varied according to geographic region and hospital. The study confirmed that low birth weight could be the result of prematurity. Factors amenable to intervention, such as birth interval, maternal nutrition, maternal weight and smoking, appeared to have a role in low birth weight.