Prevalence and Predictors of "Small Size" Babies in Ethiopia: In- depth Analysis of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, 2011

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Low Birth Weight (LBW) babies account for nearly 80% of neonatal deaths globally.In Ethiopia, only 5% of them are weighed at birth. This study analyzes the prevalence and key proximatedeterminants of reported infant size, and its validity to use as a proxy indicator for low birth weight intheEthiopian context.METHODS: In-depth analysis of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey dataset was conductedusing representative data collected from all regions in the country. Considering reported fetal size atbirth as an outcome variable, key predicting variables from socio-demographic, household, child andobstetric characteristics were employed for analyses. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regressionmodel were used to determine predictors at p value < 0.05.RESULTS: An average of 29.1% of Ethiopian babies were reported ''small'' at birth in 2011. variousvariables from socio-demographic, household, child and maternal reproductive characteristics wereidentified as key predictors. Women who develop anemia and not attending antenatal care duringpregnancy had 15% and 41% more risk of giving birth to the reported ''small size'' babies than theircounterparts (AoR = 1.15, and 1.41, 95% CI (1.02, 1.64 and 1.06, 1.88) respectively. Maternal age atdelivery, maternal literacy level, paternal educational status and presence of radio or television in thehousehold and other factors were also other key predictors identified.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of small size babies in Ethiopia is high but comparable to regionalestimates of LBW. It is recommend that improving maternal nutritional and socio-economic status is atimely intervention to tackle the problem.