Maternal Factors Affecting the Incidence of Low Birth Weight (LBW) in Indonesia

Low birth weight (LBW) is currently still a public health concern in developing countries. Infants with LBW have an increased risk of morbidity, stunted growth, and neonatal mortality. In this study, we aim to examine the maternal factors associated with LBW in Indonesia. This study uses a cross-sectional design, and data were obtained from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS), which collected data from all the provinces in Indonesia. The data were analyzed with multiple logistic regression. Results showed that 7.1% of children under five years of age in Indonesia had LBW. LBW was associated with maternal factors, which include inadequate antenatal care (ANC) (aOR = 1.7; CI 95% = 1.4−2.0), multiparity (aOR =1.3; CI 95% = 0.8−1.9), low household income (aOR = 1.3; CI 95% = 1.0−1.7), and low educational attainment (aOR = 1.8; CI 95% = 0.9−3.6). Efforts to decrease the prevalence of LBW in Indonesia include the improvement of (1) ANC programs, (2) family planning programs, (3) educational attainment programs, (4) women’s education, and (5) household economy programs. These are all important strategies for reducing the incidence of LBW in Indonesia.