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Table 1 Distribution of characteristics of parents included in the study

From: Influence of maternal and social factors as predictors of low birth weight in Italy

 

Weight < 2500

Weight ≥ 2500

(400)

 

Pre-term

(125)

Term

(75)

Total

(200)

  
 

No

%

No

%

No

%

No

%

Maternal age

        

< 25

16

13.5

13

18.8

29

15.4

45

11.4

25–29

27

22.7

28

40.6

55

29.3

123

31.2

30–34

48

40.3

13

18.8

61

32.4

119

30.2

≥ 35

28

23.5

15

21.8

43

22.9

107

27.2

 

χ2 = 4.07, 1 df, p = 0.046

χ2 = 1.38, 1 df, p = 0.24

Live born children

        

1

83

69.2

47

67.1

130

68.4

209

52.8

2

22

18.3

17

24.3

39

20.5

139

35.1

3

11

9.2

4

5.7

15

7.9

35

8.8

> 3

4

3.3

2

2.9

6

3.2

13

3.3

 

Fisher's exact, p = 0.689

χ2 = 6.22, 1 df, p = 0.015

Marital status

        

Married

112

96.6

62

93.9

174

95.6

359

91.1

Other

4

3.4

4

6.1

8

4.4

35

8.9

 

Fisher's exact, p = 0.464

χ2 = 3.63, 1 df, p = 0.057

Education level of mother (years)

        

≤ 5

12

10.8

3

4.8

15

8.6

9

2.3

8

47

42.4

22

35.5

69

39.9

121

31.6

13

36

32.4

29

46.8

65

37.6

189

49.4

> 13

16

14.4

8

12.9

24

13.9

64

16.7

 

χ2 = 1.71, 1 df, p = 0.193

χ2 = 11.31, 1 df, p = 0.001

Maternal activity

        

At home

83

75.5

48

76.2

131

75.7

240

64

Outside

27

24.5

15

23.8

42

24.3

135

36

 

χ2 = 0.012, 1 df, p = 0.913

χ2 = 7.44, 1 df, p = 0.006

Paternal occupation

        

Unemployed/retired

10

10.8

5

8.9

15

10.1

29

8.2

Artisan/commercial operator

19

20.7

19

34

38

25.7

95

27

Lower managerial

29

31.5

16

28.6

45

30.4

109

31

High professional and managerial

19

20.7

9

16

28

18.9

72

20.5

Other

15

16.3

7

12.5

22

14.9

47

13.3

 

Fisher's exact, p = 0.526

χ2 = 0.03, 1 df, p = 0.854

Size of municipality of residence (inhabitants)

        

≤ 2500

16

14

6

8.8

22

12

53

13.6

> 2500 – ≤ 10000

49

43

27

39.7

76

41.8

138

35.3

> 10000 – ≤ 90000

15

13.2

5

7.4

20

11

26

6.6

>90000

34

29.8

30

44.1

64

35.2

174

44.5

 

Fisher's exact, p = 0.2

χ2 = 1.63, 1 df, p = 0.203

Smoked before pregnancy

        

No

78

72.9

45

69.2

123

71.5

295

74.5

Yes

29

27.1

20

30.8

49

28.5

101

25.5

 

χ2 = 0.27, 1 df, p = 0.605

χ2 = 0.55, 1 df, p = 0.459

Smoked during pregnancy

        

No

92

86

52

80

144

83.7

365

92.2

Yes

15

14

13

20

28

16.3

31

7.8

 

χ2 = 1.06, 1 df, p = 0.303

χ2 = 9.2, 1 df, p = 0.002

Social/familiar support during pregnancy

        

No

41

38.3

21

32.3

62

36

169

42.7

Yes

66

61.7

44

67.7

110

64

227

57.3

 

χ2 = 0.63, 1 df, p = 0.426

χ2 = 2.18, 1 df, p = 0.139