Effects of a Short Interpregnancy interval on Pregnancy Outcomes

OBJECTIVES: to investigate the relationship between the interpregnancy interval and low birth weight and other pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: this case-control study was carried out in hospitals from January 2010 to April 2011. For cases, mothers of 1216 newborns with birth weight<2500 g were approached and 854 mothers participated (70.2%). For controls, mothers of 1158 newborns with >2500 g were approached and 854 mothers participated in this study (73.7%). Face-to-face interviews were conducted to complete the questionnaires. RESULTS: of the newborn babies with low birth weight, the risk was higher among mothers with a short interpregnancy interval (40.3%), whereas for infants with normal birth weight, the majority of the mothers had a longer interpregnancy interval of 24 months (44.7%). A short interpregnancy interval of 612 months was more common among women of <25years (49.4%; p<0.001) and those who were illiterate (13.1%; p=0.043) with a higher risk of low birth weight compared to the controls. Prenatal care during the 1st trimester was lower in women with low birth weight children (p<0.001). Normal delivery was observed less in women with a short birth interval among cases (58.7%) compared to controls (79%) (p=0.001). A J-shaped association was observed between low birth weight and the interpregnancy interval. CONCLUSIONS: a short interpregnancy interval is associated with an increased risk of low birth weight, especially in younger and illiterate women.

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Short Interpregnancy Interval and Low Birth Weight

10.53350/pjmhs2115103506 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 3506-3508

Author(s):

Sumaira Iqbal ◽

Shamaila Shamaun ◽

Afshan Shahid ◽

Riffat Jaleel ◽

Yasmeen Gull ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Short Interval ◽

Case Series ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Interpregnancy Interval ◽

Gynecology And Obstetrics ◽

Case Series Study ◽

Short Interpregnancy Interval

Objective: To determine the frequency of Low Birth Weight among women with short interpregnancy interval. Study Design: Descriptive case series. Study Setting: Study was conducted at Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit 1, Civil Hospital, Karachi. Duration of Study: Six months after approval of synopsis from 22-12-15 till 22-06-16. Subjects and Methods: Data was prospectively collected from patients after taking a verbal consent. 384 women with short interval pregnancy were included. Quantitative data was presented as simple descriptive statistics giving mean and standard deviation and qualitative variables was presented as frequency and percentages. Effect modifiers were controlled through stratification to see the effect of these on the outcome variable. Post stratification chi square test was applied taking p-value of ≤0.05 as significant. Results: Out of 384 patients mean age and BMI in our study was 29.56±3.91 years and 30.72±1.34 kg/m2 respectively. 135 (35.2%) and 249 (64.8%) had and did not have low birth weight respectively. Conclusion: Our study confirmed that short IPI is an independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes like low birth weight. These finding emphasize the importance of providing support for family planning programs which will support optimal IPI and improve pregnancy outcomes. Keywords: Short interpregnancy interval and low birth weight.

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