title: A case-control study of singleton low birthweight babies at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
abstract: A retrospective study of 432 consecutive singleton low birthweight babies and 432 unmatched controls was carried out at the Port Moresby General Hospital from January to December 1988. Of the 432 low birthweight babies 65% were preterm, 27% were light for gestational age, 6% were both preterm and light for gestational age and 2.5% could not be classified. The results of the analysis showed low birthweight to be significantly associated with the past delivery of a low birthweight infant, very young and elderly mothers, lack of antenatal care, poor family planning, hypertensive disease in pregnancy and intrauterine death. This study reveals that maternal education and improved antenatal care and family planning would ultimately reduce the incidence of low birthweight babies and perinatal mortality in Papua New Guinea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Klufio
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Amoa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Augerea
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wurr
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009512:New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors