title: Low birth weight in a sub-urban area of Cameroon: an analysis of the clinical cut-off, incidence, predictors and complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The World Health Organisation recommends that each country adopts its own cut-off value of low birth weight (LBW) for clinical use. The aims of this study were to establish a clinical cut-off point for LBW and to determine its incidence, predictors and complications in a sub-urban area's hospital of Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a study in two phases: a 6-year retrospective phase during which we collected demographic and clinical information from the records of the maternity of the Buea Regional Hospital (BRH) and a 3-month prospective phase during which data were collected from consenting pregnant women using a structured questionnaire, and newborns were examined and followed after birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4941 records were reviewed during the retrospective phase and the 10(th) centile of birth weights was 2600 g. In the 200 pregnant women enrolled during the prospective phase, using this cut-off yielded an incidence of LBW of 19.0 %. Independent predictors of LBW were preterm delivery, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, HIV infection, maternal age >36 years, maternal height <150 cm and pre-delivery BMI < 25 kg/m(2). Neonates with LBW were more likely to have neonatal asphyxia, foetal distress, respiratory distress and neonatal death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that newborns under 2600 g have LBW in sub-urban Cameroon. They represent one out of every five babies, and they deserve close care. Preventive measures targeting the predictors described here are warranted to reduce the incidence and complications. Similar studies in urban areas are required in order to generalize the results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon. tsinjim@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tsi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Njim
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Hygiene, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon. atashili@yahoo.ie.
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atashili
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde, Yaounde, Cameroon. rembu2000@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Robinson
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mbu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon. schoukem@gmail.com.|Health and Human Development (2HD) Research Group, Douala, Cameroon. schoukem@gmail.com.|Diabetes and Endocrine Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Douala General Hospital, Douala, Cameroon. schoukem@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Simeon-Pierre
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Choukem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult