Abstract

LOMAGLIO, Delia B. et al. Birth weight in the argentinian nortwest: regional variation in the province of Catamarca. Cuad. Fac. Humanid. Cienc. Soc., Univ. Nac. Jujuy [online]. 2007, n.32, pp.229-239. ISSN 1668-8104.

Birth weight is an indicator of the size reached in the intrauterine growth. It is associate to diverse factors, from genetic to environmental. Within the environmental factors it emphasizes the influence of the geographic altitude, having itself observed in different countries from the world an inversely proportional relation between altitude and birthweight. The Argentine northwest is integrated by five provinces. Among them, the province of Catamarca, presents a great diversity areas, between 500 and 3400 meters above sea level. A little more 7% of the births happen in zones located to heights superior to 1500 meters. The purpose of this study was to analize tha altitudinale variations of the birth weight in the province of Catamarca between 1994 and 2003. Vital statistics of the Dirección Provincial de Estadística y Censos were used. The values of central tendency and dispersion of the birth weight were obtained, based on the gestacional age and sex. The proportions of normal birth weight were calculated (NBW), low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) by regions. The intersexual and interregional comparisons were established through analysis of the variance. Interregional differences and negative correlation with the altitude were obtained.

Keywords : argentinian northwest; birthweight; geographic altitude.

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