title: Low birth weight and its related risk factors in northeast iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and its related risk factors in an appropriate sample of neonates in Shahroud, northeast Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  At this study, a random sample of 1000 neonates were selected of which 72 neonates were LBWs. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods to evaluate the LBW risk factors in LBWs compared to normal weight infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  7.2% of neonates were LBWs and 6.1% born before 37 weeks of gestation. Prematurity, high-risk pregnancy and maternal age have significant statistical association with LBW. Odds Ratio (OR) for prematurity was 42.82 (95%CI; 21.93-83.57), for high risk pregnancy 2.76 (95%CI; 1.47-5.19) and for maternal age group more than 35 years in comparison to 19-35 years age group 0.2 (95%CI; 0.05-0.71).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on this study; prematurity and high risk pregnancy were the most important risk factors for LBW. There was also a reverse association between maternal age and LBW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Management, School of Public Health, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raei
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Esmaeil
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ajami
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeghian
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Related Social and Behavioral Sciences Research, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khosravi
keywords: Infants; Low Birth Weight; Newborn; Prematurity; Risk Factors