ArticleBMC pediatrics2019
An outcome-based definition of low birthweight for births in low- and middle-income countries: a secondary analysis of the WHO global survey on maternal and perinatal health.
Article in BMC pediatrics, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Birth Weight in Infants with a Cleft Lip and/or Palate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.The Journal of pediatrics · 2026Article
- Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Valvular Heart Disease: Insights From 30 Years of Single-Center Experience.Journal of Korean medical science · 2026Article
- Causal machine learning models for predicting low birth weight in midwife-led continuity care intervention in North Shoa Zone, Ethiopia.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2025Article
- Should the Definition of Low Birth Weight Be Same in Every Ethnicity Considering the DOHaD Concept?Pediatric reports · 2025Article
- Deciphering the concurrent phenomenon of childhood malnutrition by using the extended composite index of anthropometric failure (ECIAF): facts from the BESLEN project.Public health nutrition · 2024Article
- Effects of HIV Infection on Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women Attending Antenatal Care in Referral Hospitals of the Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia: A Prospective Cohort Study.International journal of women's health · 2022Article
- Elevated risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Japanese children with higher genetic susceptibility to ADHD with a birth weight under 2000 g.BMC medicine · 2021Article
- Ethnic differences in postmaturity syndrome in newborns. Reflections on different durations of gestation.The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians · 2021Observational
- Modelling mortality within 28 days among preterm infants at a tertiary hospital in Lusaka, Zambia: a retrospective review of hospital-based records.The Pan African medical journal · 2021Article
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8 authors.
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Abstract
background2500 g has been used worldwide as the definition of low birthweight (LBW) for almost a century. While previous studies have used statistical approaches to define LBW cutoffs, a LBW definition using an outcome-based approach has not been evaluated. We aimed to identify an outcome-based definition of LBW for live births in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), using data from a WHO cross-sectional survey on maternal and perinatal health outcomes in 23 countries.
methodsWe performed a secondary analysis of all singleton live births in the WHO Global Survey (WHOGS) on Maternal and Perinatal Health, conducted in African and Latin American countries (2004-2005) and Asian countries (2007-2008). We used a two-level logistic regression model to assess the risk of early neonatal mortality (ENM) associated with subgroups of birthweight (< 1500 g, 1500-2499 g with 100 g intervals; 2500-3499 g as the reference group). The model adjusted for potential confounders, including maternal complications, gestational age at birth, mode of birth, fetal presentation and facility capacity index (FCI) score. We presented adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A lower CI limit of at least two was used to define a clinically important definition of LBW.
resultsWe included 205,648 singleton live births at 344 facilities in 23 LMICs. An aOR of at least 2.0 for the ENM outcome was observed at birthweights below 2200 g (aOR 3.8 (95% CI; 2.7, 5.5) of 2100-2199 g) for the total population. For Africa, Asia and Latin America, the 95% CI lower limit aORs of at least 2.0 were observed when birthweight was lower than 2200 g (aOR 3.6 (95% CI; 2.0, 6.5) of 2100-2199 g), 2100 g (aOR 7.4 (95% CI; 5.1, 10.7) of 2000-2099 g) and 2200 g (aOR 6.1 (95% CI; 3.4, 10.9) of 2100-2199 g) respectively.
conclusionA birthweight of less than 2200 g may be an outcome-based threshold for LBW in LMICs. Regional-specific thresholds of low birthweight (< 2200 g in Africa, < 2100 g in Asia and < 2200 g in Latin America) may also be warranted.
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