MEASURE DHS - Journal Details

Low birth weight as a risk factor for infant mortality in Egypt
Authors:	R. Hong and M. Ruiz-Beltran
Source:	La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée orientale, Vol. 14, No 5, 2008
Topic(s):	Birth weight Infant mortality
Country:	Africa Egypt
Published:	2008
Abstract:	We examined the risk of infant mortality among low-birth-weight children (< 2500 g) controlling for other risk factors of infant mortality. We used survival regression analysis on 11 361 childbirths in the 5 years preceding the 2000 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey. Higher birth order; shorter birth interval; lack of prenatal care, safe sources of drinking-water and hygienic toilet facilities; living in urban residence and Upper Egypt rural region were associated with a higher risk of infant mortality. The multivariate model indicated that low-birth-weight children were about 3 times more likely to die in infancy than other children (hazard ratio = 2.89, 95% CI: 2.33–3.58) independent of other risk factors.