Pnediatric and Perinntal Epidemiology zyxwvut 1995,9,185-200 zyxwvu Distribution and determinants of low birthweight in Central Sudan Taha El Tahir Taha*, Ronald H. Grayt, Mabyoua Mustafa Abdelwahabt and Adelrahman Abdelhafeezs Departments zyxwvu of *CommunityMedicine and pediatrics and Child Health, University of Juba, Sudan, §Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Gezira, Sudan and tDepartment of Population Dynamics, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, zyxwv USA zyxw Summary. Two studies were conducted during 1989-90 in Central Su- dan to determine the incidence of low birthweight and to ascertain the major risk factors which influence birthweight. In a hospital-based inves- tigation, surveillance of all births was accompanied by a nested case- control study, and in a community based investigation, all midwife- assisted births were studied. There were 4868 and 1523livebirths among the hospital and community populations, respectively. The incidence of low birthweight was 18.1% in the community and 8.2% in the hospitals. The ratio of term to pre-term low birthweight was 2.9 in the community but only 1.3 in the hospitals. Several risk factors showed consistent and significant associations with low birthweight in the hospital and com- munity studies. Two important and modifiable predictors of term and preterm low birthweight were low maternal weight and malaria infection during pregnancy. Other risk factors included low socio-economic status and, among the hospital population, lack of antenatal care, short birth intervals, poor obstetric history and complications of pregnancy. Introduction Birthweight is an important determinant of perinatal and infant mortality.'S2 It is governed by two major processes, the rate of growth of the fetus in utero and zy Address for correspondence: Taha El Tahir Taha, JHU-MOH Research Project, PO Box 1131, Blantyre, Malawi. 185