How many low birthweight babies in low- and middle-income countries are preterm?

作者：Fernando C. Barros, Aluísio J. D. Barros, José Villar, Alícia Matijasevich, Marlos Rodrigues Domingues, Cesar Gomes Victora · 发表于：Revista de Saúde Pública · 年份：2011 · DOI：10.1590/s0034-89102011005000019 · 被引用次数：55 · 研究领域：Global Maternal and Child Health、Gestational Diabetes Research and Management、Birth, Development, and Health

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of preterm birth among low birthweight babies in low and middle-income countries. METHODS: Major databases (PubMed, LILACS, Google Scholar) were searched for studies on the prevalence of term and preterm LBW babies with field work carried out after 1990 in low- and middle-income countries. Regression methods were used to model this proportion according to LBW prevalence levels. RESULTS: According to 47 studies from 27 low- and middle-income countries, approximately half of all LBW babies are preterm rather than one in three as assumed in studies previous to the 1990s. CONCLUSIONS: The estimate of a substantially higher number of LBW preterm babies has important policy implications in view of special health care needs of these infants. As for earlier projections, our findings are limited by the relative lack of population-based studies.