FREIRE CARRERA, Martín; ALVAREZ OCHOA, Robert; VANEGAS IZQUIERDO, Patricia Elizabeth    PENA CORDERO, Susana Janeth. Low birth weight: Factors associated with maternal conditions. []. , 7, 2, pp.1-8. ISSN 1390-7697.  https://doi.org/10.26423/rctu.v7i2.527.

Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the most common public health problems nationally and globally, because of its association with the increased risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The main objective of this research was to identify the incidence and maternal factors associated with LBW. In the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital’s neonatal area in the city of Cuenca was carried on a non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional study in 198 neonates and their mothers during the period October 2017-May 2018. The observation and analysis component was the medical history of both the newborn and the mother. In absolute and relative frequencies data were expressed. Statistic Chi-square (X2) was used to establish the relationship between low neonatal weight and maternal risk factors. Statistically significant was considered a value of p<0.05. The incidence of LBW was 11.1%. In the statistical analysis, LBW’s factors were low weight gain during pregnancy (p=0.001) and the number of pregnancies (p=0.03). Between LBW and prenatal controls, intergenesic period, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and diseases in the gestational period no significant association was observed. In conclusion, the number of cases of low birth weight children was similar to those found in other studies. The factors associated with LBW were low weight gain during pregnancy and the number of pregnancies.

: risk factors; low weight newborn.

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