Abstracts of theses and treatises
Algert C (1992) A review of low birthweight in New South Wales. Unpublished Master of Public Health thesis, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales.
Objective: To determine if mothers in any of the NSW Health Areas or Regions were at increased risk of delivering a low birthweight infant in 1987, and whether any demographic or reproductive history factors were associated with low birthweight.
Design: A cross-sectional analytic study.
Study Population: the data base used was the 1987 NSW Maternal and Perinatal Collection (now referred to as the Midwives' Data Collection) which recorded an estimated 96% of all births in NSW. Multiple births and births to non-residents of NSW were excluded, as well as births with unrecorded birthweights or gestational ages. There were 80,379 births left in the analysis.
Outcome Measures: The data was analysed using two different sets of out-come measures. In the first, births were classified as either very low brithweight (VLBW), low birthweight (LBW), or greater than or equal to 2500g. For the second set of outcome measures, births were classified as either small for gestational age (SGA), pre-term, or non-SGA term births.
Results: There were variations in the rate of LBW between Health Areas and Regions, with some areas having statistically significant increase or decreased risk of LBW, or SGA or pre-term birth. The risk of SGA birth was related to the mother's marital status, age, parity, ethnic group, socio-economic status, and time of first antenatal visit. The risk of pre-term birth was related to the mother's marital status, age, parity, prior spontaneous abortion, prior induced abortion, prior stillbirth or neonatal death, time of first antenatal visit, and sex of infant.
Conclusions: The associated risk factors help explain why some areas had higher or lower risks of LBW, but did not explain why the New England Region had an increased risk of VLBW infants and SGA infants. Analysis of subsequent years will reveal if the variations in risk persist from year to year. The analysis of low birthweight could be improved in NSW if data was collected on additional factors known to affect birthweight, such as smoking, maternal stature, and pre-pregnancy weight.
For further information on this subject look in the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet Bibliography or return to the theses page.
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