Proporcionationality index and low birth weigth

Abstract

The study of the relation between low birthweight (LBW) and neonatal mortality is of vital important to the establishment of preventiond and reduction of de high percentual found in the population of developing countries. That way, this study had as objective verifying index os proporcionality on LBW children and its relation to the risk of death. The sample population was comprised by all the biological mothers and their children under 1 year of age assisted for 5 days at the 22 health units founded by the city of Maringá, in 1998. The total of mothers was 575. All children with a weight <2500g were considered LBW (low birthweight). The children with Rohrer's Ponderal Index (IR) < 2,51 were considered disproportionate. From the total of children, 168 (29,2%) were considered disproportionate. For the LBW children, this percentage was 76,5%. For other groups with insufficient and adequate weight the percentage was 53,7% and 18,3%. WHen the IR of < 2,51 is associated to a lenght of < 47cm it is noted that 23,2% of the children show a right death risk mainly for the LBW group reassure the need of a perinatal assistance program with the purpose of reducing the LBW percentages.