MATERNAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT IN SRI LANKA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37602/IJEBSSR.2026.4402Keywords:
Antenatal care, Low birth weight, Maternal education, Maternal healthAbstract
Low birth weight remains a persistent public health challenge in Sri Lanka despite improvements in maternal and child healthcare services. This study examined the maternal, socioeconomic, healthcare, and environmental determinants associated with low birth weight using data from the 2016 Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Survey. A cross-sectional analytical design was employed using a nationally representative sample of 3,000 singleton live births with recorded birth weight information. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sample characteristics, while chi-square tests and independent sample t-tests assessed associations between explanatory variables and birth weight outcomes. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of low birth weight and estimate adjusted odds ratios.
The findings showed that maternal education and antenatal care utilization were significant predictors of low birth weight. Mothers with higher educational attainment were significantly less likely to deliver low birth weight infants. Similarly, adequate antenatal care attendance significantly reduced the likelihood of low birth weight. Correlation analysis also demonstrated significant negative associations between low birth weight and maternal education and antenatal care visits. In contrast, maternal age, body mass index, place of residence, and household wealth index were not statistically significant in the adjusted regression model. The omnibus test confirmed that the logistic regression model was statistically significant.
The study concludes that maternal education and access to adequate antenatal care are the most important protective factors against low birth weight in Sri Lanka. Strengthening maternal health education and improving the quality and accessibility of antenatal care services, particularly among vulnerable populations, are essential for reducing the burden of low birth weight and improving neonatal health outcomes.
