title: A cross-sectional study of determinants of birth weight of neonates in the Greater Accra region of Ghana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Birth weight is a major determinant of infant morbidity and mortality. Fetal undernourishment means an increased risk of dying during a baby's early months and years. Birth weight has emerged as the leading indicator of infant health and welfare and the central focus of infant health policy. The issues have not been comprehensively evaluated in part due to lack of or limited empirical data. To this end, this study is aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal determinants on the birth weights of neonates in two major hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low birth weight neonates were significantly (p < 0.001) associated with low gestation at birth (34.8 ± 3.8) while mothers of low birth weight neonates had significantly (p = 0.034) lower body mass index (27.3 ± 5.4) than their normal birth weight counterparts (29.0 ± 6.3). Gestation at birth (p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.008) was the only significant determinant of birth weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in gestation at birth by 1 week results in over twice more likelihood of a normal birth weight while a rise in diastolic blood pressure is less likely to give rise to a normal birth weight neonate.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atuahene
authors.affiliation: National Malaria Control Programme, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mensah
authors.affiliation: INDEPTH Network Secretariat, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adjuik
keywords: Anthropometric measurements; Birth weight; Low birth weight; Neonates; Normal birth weight