Table 3

Risk factors for low birth weight

Variable
At risk of
LBW
(n)
Univariate analysis
odds ratio
(95% (CI)
LR
(p-value)
Multivariate
analysis
odds ratio (95%
(CI)
LRT

Age
404
0.89 (0.81 – 0.97)
< 0.01
0.92 (0.83 – 1.02)


Patient's home:


0.66


     Ifakara & vicinity
299
1



     Beyond Ifakara
105
1.15 (0.62 – 2.12)




Parity:


0.04


     Secundigravid
156
1



     Primigravid
248
1.89 (1.02 – 3.48)

1.40 (0.69 – 2.82)


Age*Parity (interaction)
404


0.82 (0.67 – 1.01)
0.07

Use of bednet:


0.05


     Never used
37
1



     Untreated
273
0.36 (0.17 – 0.77)

0.34 (0.16 – 0.74)

     Treated bednet
94
0.19 (0.07 – 0.53)

0.22 (0.08 – 0.59)


Report of self-medication:


0.65


     Never used
228
1



     Antimalarial
103
0.98 (0.52 – 1.86)



     Other forms
73
0.66 (0.29 – 1.48)




Reported fever episode:


0.78


     Never reported
229
1



     Reported
175
1.08 (0.62 – 1.88)




Placenta parasitaemia:


0.31


     Absent
371
1



     Present
33
1.62 (0.67 – 3.91)




Neonates sex


0.24


     Male
213
1



     Female
203
1.15 (0.66 – 1.98)




¶-N = 60 cases of LBW (Birth weight < 2500 g)

LR-likelihood ratio

LRT-Likelihood ratio test for interaction

Kabanywanyi et al. Malaria Journal 2008 7:133   doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-133