Hamid Iqbal, Qamar Ali Khan, Sher Mohd, Nadeem Khawar.
Association between maternal mid-upper arm circumference and delivery of low birth weight babies.
Pak Paed J Jan ;36(2):96-9.

Objective: To study the association maternal mid-upper arm circumference and birth of low birth weight babies. Methods: It is a hospital-based case control study conducted at the Neonatal Unit of Department of Child Health, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan from 1st January 2011 to 30th June 2011. 118 cases and for each case one control was selected from the babies admitted to the neonatal unit. Weights of the babies and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of mothers of both cases and controlled were measured. The mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) less than 21 cm was taken as abnormal. Results: During the study period 118 women, who delivered singleton term live LBW babies (having weight <2500gm), were taken as cases. For each case, a comparative case (matching in age and parity) who delivered singleton term live normal birth weight baby (having weight 2500gm or more) was selected and served as control. There were 74 mothers from case group while 44 from control group having MUACs less than 21 cm. The mothers with MUAC less than 21 cm are 2.82 times at risk of giving birth to LBW babies (odd ratio 2.83 with 95 % CI 1.67 to 4.79). Conclusion: This small study showed mothers having MUAC less than 21 cm were 2.82 times at risk of giving birth to LBW babies.

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