title: Prevalence and Risk Factors of Low Birth Weight in the Southeast of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and related factors of low birth weight (LBW) in the Southeast of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was carried out in Kerman province. Data were collected from Iranian Maternal and Neonatal Network at public and private hospitals. All live births from March 2014 to March 2015 considered as the source population. The risk factors including maternal age, gravida, parity, abortion, pregnancy risk factors, maternal nationality, maternal education, maternity insurance, place of living, consanguinity, neonate sex, preterm labor, place of birth, delivery manager, and delivery type were compared between LBW and normal birth weight groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of LBW was 9.4% in the present study. Preterm labor (odds ratio [OR]: 22.06;P< 0.001), neonate female sex (OR: 1.41;P< 0.001), low parity (OR: 0.85;P< 0.001), pregnancy age <18 years (OR: 1.26;P= 0.012), pregnancy age >35 years (OR: 1.21;P= 0.001), delivery by cesarean section (OR: 1.17;P= 0.002), pregnancy risk factors (OR: 1.67;P< 0.001), maternal illiteracy (OR: 1.91;P< 0.001), living in the rural area (OR: 1.19;P< 0.001), consanguineous (OR: 1.08;P= 0.025), and delivery by obstetrician (OR: 1.12;P= 0.029) were identified as significant factors associated with LBW in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevention of preterm labor, consanguineous marriage, pregnancy age <18 and >35 years old, and maternal medical risk factors are some critical interventions to reduce its burden. Increasing the access to high-quality health-care services in rural and deprived areas is another effective strategy for the prevention of LBW.
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Momeni
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danaei
authors.affiliation: Modeling in Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Akram Jabbari Nejad
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kermani
authors.affiliation: Maternal Health Office, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakhshandeh
authors.affiliation: HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Foroodnia
authors.affiliation: Medical Informatics Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mahmoudabadi
authors.affiliation: Health Services Management Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Raheleh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amirzadeh
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Safizadeh
keywords: Low birth weight; prevalence; risk factor