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Low birth weight as a risk factor for infant mortality in Egypt
Authors: R. Hong and M. Ruiz-Beltran
Source: Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 14(5):992-1002.
Topic(s): Birth weight
Infant mortality
Country: Africa
  Egypt
Published: SEP 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.