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Establishment of a Low Birth Weight Registry and Initial Outcomes

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Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate a regional, prospective database of information on mothers of low birth weight (LBW) infants. The database informs on unidentified or under-reported modifiable risk factors from which evidence-based, targeted community intervention strategies could be designed to lower the rate of low birth weight in the region. The LBW Registry is based on informed consent, a semi-structured face-to-face (FTF) interview with the mother of the newborn LBW infant, medical record review, and birth certificate worksheet data collection. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data from the registry. High rates of modifiable risk factors among mothers of low birth weight infants (October 2007–October 2008) include smoking (44%), alcohol consumption (16%), and drug abuse (14%). Preconception vitamin use was low (34%). The reported use of fertility drugs in FTF interviews was notably higher than information reported on the birth certificate worksheets by the same set of interviewed mothers (5.4 vs. 1.5%), as was alcohol use during pregnancy (16 vs. 1.3%). More than half (52%) of the mothers of low birth weight infants reported a vaginal or urinary tract infection during pregnancy. Additionally there were higher than average rates of unmarried mothers (62%), unintended pregnancies (67%), and Medicaid beneficiaries (57%). Mothers repeatedly expressed excessive demands in their lives, straining their coping abilities and resources. The LBW Registry provides expanded local data on potentially modifiable risk factors to aid in designing targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

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Notes

  1. 2007 OH PRAMS reports level of smoking during the last 3 months of pregnancy.

  2. Drug use included abused prescription drugs and/or use of prescribed methadone during pregnancy, marijuana, any form of cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, tranquilizers, hallucinogens, and inhalants.

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Acknowledgments

The low birth weight Registry receives funding from the Montgomery County Human Services Levy through Family and Children First Council (FCFC). We thank FCFC for their generous support. The authors would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Pamela Thompson-Griffith, Jeanne Collins, Penny Johnson, Laura Netzley, Tom Gariety, MBA, Dr. Patricia O’Malley, RN, CNS, and all of the mothers who participated in the study. We thank the anonymous referees for their valuable comments and suggestions.

Disclosure

The abstract of an earlier version of this paper was presented at the 14th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology (MCH EPI) Conference in Atlanta, GA on December 10th, 2008. The abstract is published in their proceedings.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Research Center, Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH, USA

    Elizabeth Eisenhauer & David E. Uddin

  2. Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA), Dayton, OH, USA

    Pam Albers

  3. Department Center for Global Health Systems Management & Policy, and Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA

    Sara Paton

  4. Center for Leadership in Community, University of Dayton and Montgomery County (OH) Office of Family and Children First, Dayton, OH, USA

    Robert L. Stoughton

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  1. Elizabeth Eisenhauer
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  2. David E. Uddin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth Eisenhauer.

Additional information

Elizabeth Eisenhauer developed the method to identify low birth weight mothers, designed the survey instrument, database and chart abstraction process, conducted all the confidential interviews, completed the literature search, assisted with statistical analysis, and wrote the initial draft of the manuscript.

David E. Uddin initiated the community task force, designed and wrote the protocol, edited the survey instrument, supervised the data collection, performed final statistical analysis, edited the manuscript, and was involved in all aspects of the study as the Principal Investigator.

Pam Albers manages the Help Me Grow and Nurse Family Partnership Interventions in Montgomery County, completed and submitted the grant applications, and was a member of the Low Birth Weight Task Force.

Sara Paton provided epidemiological data from the Combined Health District for comparative analysis.

Robert L. Stoughton provided liaison to the Family and Children’s First Council, performed GIS analysis (not reported here), and was a member of the Low Birth Weight Task Force.

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Eisenhauer, E., Uddin, D.E., Albers, P. et al. Establishment of a Low Birth Weight Registry and Initial Outcomes. Matern Child Health J 15, 921–930 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-009-0540-8

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