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  Background & Objectives: The high incidence of low birth weight (LBW) occurs in developing countries, and diarrhea and respiratory infections are the main causes of infant mortality and morbidity. This study was done to find out whether there was a growth or morbidity response to zinc supplememttion, among LBW infants during the first 6 mo of life.

  Methods: The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind trial study. LBW infants were given daily for 6mo 5mg zn, or a placebo. Questionnairs were filled out during the study by a pediatrician and a GP. Anthropometric measurements were made at 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 wk via home visits by trained interviewers.

  Results: Baseline characteristics were similar in zinc and placebo groups. Weight gain in zinc group was significantly higher that of placebo group between 1 to 6 months (p=0.036). Length and head circumference gain were also greater in zinc group than in placebo groups, (p=0.04, p<0.001). The episodes of upper respiratory infections was greater in placebo group than zinc group (mean Episodes in zinc groups= 1.7 and in placebo group was 3) and there was significant difference between two groups (p=0.005). 8 Cases of lower respiratory infections in placebo group and 5 cases in zinc group were observed, but it was not significan diarrheal episods were observed only in placebo groups.

  Conclusion: It was found that low birth weight infants had better growth and lower morbidity during the first 6 months of life by receiving zinc supplementation.

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  Background & Objectives: Birth weight less than 2500gr (as result of preterm delivery and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)) is a major cause of both neonatal health. Predominate cause of LBW in developed countries is premature birth, whereas in developing countries is more often IUGR. Different risk factors, including demographic and behavioral during and before pregnancy are effective in LBW incidences which can reduce LBW and neonatal mortality rate by identification and control of these risk factors. The present study has been carried out with purpose of identification and decreasing the LBW rate in Ardabil.

 Methods: In this case – control study all infants delivered in 2006 in hospitals in Ardabil were investigated. Every neonate whose weight was less than 2500gr was taken as a case (n=470) and 482 neonates whose weight was more than 2500gr was taken as a control. Data gathering was done through questionnaires, interviewing the mothers and physical examination. The data were analyzed statistically through SPSS.

 Results: In the present study, the presence of LBW amount is %6.4 in Ardabil hospitals. The results of our study showed that a significant relationship existed between prematurely and gestational age<37wk, mother’s age, mother’s job and maternal weight, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), maternal diseases, multiple births, bleeding during pregnancy, interval between pregnancies less than <2 years, prior history of low birth weight, use of drugs by mother in pregnancy, congenital malformation with LBW. In this study relation between parity, the use of Folic Acid, Fe, cigarette smoking and addiction of mother, living area (village or city), family marriage, health care and mother’s education were not significant with LBW.

  Conclusion: The LBW important risk factors in Ardabil hospitals were prematurity or gestational age <37wk, multiple pregnancies, PROM, mother’s age over 35 years, and mother weight <50kg, maternal diseases.

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Background & objectives: Low birth weight is considered one of the most serious health problems in the world that puts tremendous pressure on the health care system and family. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between some maternal risk factors and low birth weight.
Methods: The present study was a cross- sectional study performed on 264 cases. The data gathering tool was a checklist with two parts to compare two groups in this research. The first part was related to the infant's characteristics (sex, weight, and gestational age of the newborn), and the second part related to maternal characteristics. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Inferential statistics including Mann–Whitney u, chi-square, fisher exact test and logistic regression were used to investigate the relationship between the variables.
Results: In this study, the level of education was lower in mothers with term low birth weight neonates (p=0.024), also normal delivery was reported more frequently among mothers with low birth weight infants (p=0.0001). Also, the mean BMI and the weight at the beginning of pregnancy and overweight in mothers with term neonates and normal weight were greater (p=0.0001, in all). The first minute Apgar score and the fifth minute Apgar score were lower in mothers with low-birth term infants (p=0.002 and p=0.0001). Also distinguished that the gestational age (week) was lower in mothers with low-birth term infants (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: According to the results, increasing progress the pregnancy per week makes it possible to increase the normal weight of newborns by 3.11%.