Effect of antenatal care on low birth weight prevention in Lao PDR: A case control study

Background: : Low Birth Weight (LBW) is a worldwide public health problem, which subsequently may affect the health status of the child. Lao PDR has high incidence of LBW.  Antenatal care (ANC) is provided to improve maternal and child health outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify the effect ANC on LBW prevention in Lao PDR. Methods: : This case control study was conducted in tertiary hospitals of Lao PDR. The ratio of case: control was 1:3, of which there were 52 cases and 156 controls that passed the inclusion criteria included in the study. In our analysis information on pregnancy and ANC including height of mother, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, maternal gestational age at delivery, type of delivery, supplementary vitamins, and other covariates including age, marital status, educational attainment, occupation, family income, health insurance, family size and living condition were described and determine their association with LBW using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: : There were only 32.69 % of complete ANC among cases and 57.69% in control.  Incomplete ANC (<4 times) were significant increased the odds of having LBW (adj. OR=2.97; 95%CI: 1.48 to 5.93; p-value =0.002). Other covariates which also influenced LBW were having maternal weight gain during pregnancy less than 10 kg. (adj.OR=2.28; 95%CI: 1.16 to 4.49; p-value = 0.017), maternal gestation age at delivery less than 40 weeks (adj. OR=3.33; 95%CI: 1.52 to 7.32; p-value =0.003).  Conclusion: Complete ANC could help both mother and child in term of weight gain and full term delivery which may effect on LBW reduction.