Low Body Mass Index, Anaemia and Poor Perinatal Outcome in a Rural Hospital in Eastern Sudan

Background: The first step in improving early neonatal survival is to document rate of these deaths, identify the common causes. Objectives: the study was conducted at New Halfa hospital, eastern Sudan to investigate the prevalence and possible risk factors for a poor perinatal outcome, mainly low birth weight (LBW), APGAR score _5 at 1 min, fetal anaemia and perinatal mortality. Results: LBW occurred in 15.3%, the perinatal death was 9.2%. Maternal low body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with LBW (OR ^1.8, 95% CI ^1.0-3.2; p ^0.02), which was a risk factor for APGAR score _5 at 1 min (OR ^11.5, 95% CI ^5.9-22.5; p _ 0.001) and perinatal mortality (OR ^6.5, 95% CI ^2.9-14.8, p _ 0.00001). Maternal anaemia was a risk factor for fetal anaemia (OR ^2.1, 95% CI ^1.4-3.1; p _ 0.001). Conclusion: More attention to maternal nutrition and in an attempt to prevent anaemia may lead to improvement in the perinatal outcome.