ABEYSENA, C2011-02-142011-02-1419951995ABEYSENA, C, A Study on maternal psycho-social factors affecting low birth weight among babies born at Colombo North General Hospital, Ragama, Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo PGIM , 1995: p.http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/128088Dissertation: M.Sc.(Community Medicine), Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo: PGIM , 1995.The objective of this case control study was to assess the association between maternal psychosocial factors and tje risk of delivering Low Birth Weight (LBW) babies. The study was conducted on a sample size of 420 new born babies who were born to uncomplicated primi para mothers, and who deliveered the babiea at the North Colombo General Hospital Ragama during May and August 1995. A total of 140 cases of LBW new borns were compared with 280 non-LBW controls. Mothers were interviewed face to collect information by using a structured questionnaire within 24 hours after delivery. Mothers who experienced \>2 major life events during pregnancy had an odd ratio of 2.94(95 percent) confidence interval 1.38-6.30) compared with mothers who experienced \<2 major life events. The control of maternal lage and per capita monthly income by stratification did not change the findings significantly. Mothers whose per capita monthly income was Rs.\<1500 had an odd ratio of 1.68(95 percent confidence interval 1.08-2.60) compared with mothers whose per capita monthly income \>1500 Rs. Stratification wasused to control for maternal age, maternal height and quality of antenatal care. But the odd ratio did not change significantly. Compared with women who were unemployed during pregnancy, the employed women had an odd ratio of 0.98(95 percent confidence interval 0.52-2.29). the study also found that a maternal eduction lower than grade 6(or=2.65) and a maternal height \<150cm.(or=2.45), the number of antenatal clinic visits les than 8 times (or=2.04) and antenatal care received by Public Health Midwife (OR=3.44) were statistically significantly associated with an inincreased risk of LBW. Exposure to passive cigarette smoking at homme (OR=1.12), poor ventilation of the cooking place (OR=1.17) maternal age \<20 years (OR=1.23), \>30 years (OR=1.19) and first antenatal clinic visit \>17 weeks gestation (OR=1.32) had no significant association with an increased risk of LBW. It can be concluded that maternal psycho-social stress plays a greater role in determining LBW delivery.en-USPost Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo, PGIM : Sri Lanka HELLIS NetworkMaternal healthCase-Control StudiesPsycho-social factorsThesis