Abstract:
Background: Pregnant women and their children’s health remain the global unfinished agenda in
the most countries of the world especially in low- and middle-income countries. Low birth weight
(LBW) subsequently has the harmful effects on the lifestyle of the child basically on his
psychosocial and physiological development. Antenatal care is an important prospect
characterized by vital interventions for pregnant women. This study aimed at identifying the effects
ANC visits on birth weight babies of Rwanda in 2015.
Methods: Cross-sectional study design was conducted for analyzing the effects of antenatal care
on low birth weight children using the Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2014/2015.
Results: Results indicated that socio-demographic data were significantly associated with the low
birth weight children. It was found that the pregnant women who attended four recommended ANC
visits had lower low birth weight children than who attended less than who attended no and less
than four antenatal care visits [OR=0.62; 95%CI(0.46-0.82), p<0.001]. The risk of having low
birth weight children for the women who took no medical drugs for malaria were less likely to
have low birth weight children compared to who took them [OR=0.32; 95%CI (0.13-0.83),
p=0.018]. The marital status for the pregant women was found to be the risk factor of low birth
weight children. The pregnant women who got married and/or living with the partners had a greater
risk to have low birth weight children than the women who were single [OR=1.86; 95%CI(1.25-
2.76); p=0.002].
Conclusion: Completing ANC visits is appropriate way for reducing the birth weight of the
children. To improve the maternal and child health is basically needed focusing on the
improvement and management of the socio-demographic status of the pregnant. Promoting health
education related to antenatal care, its recommended package and their effects on health of mothers
and child needs to be prioritized.
