Low birth weight in a municipality in the southeast region of Brazil

Objective: to identify the prevalence of low birth weight in the city of Sao Paulo. Method: epidemiological cross-sectional study with data collected by means of the Brazilian Live Birth Information System related to births occurred in the city of Sao Paulo between 2007 and 2013. Maternal, gestational, childbirth, and neonatal variables were analyzed descriptively and by association. Results: 9.65% (1,342,655) of live births were underweight (mean of 3234.55 grams in the term group and 2312.17 in the pre-term group) with a mean maternal age of 27.53 years old. The risk factors identified include maternal age, not having a partner, low maternal level of education, other race rather than white, pre-term pregnancy, multiple births, low number of prenatal check-ups, and cesarean delivery. Conclusion: knowledge of this evidence favors planning the care provided by defining strategies to reduce it and consequently improve maternal and infant health care.