Introduction Several studies have documented maternal risk factors associated with giving birth to a low birthweight (LBW) newborn. The majority of these studies have been conducted in developed nations. While the LBW rate in Qatar (8.3%) 1 is comparable to rates found in developed nations such as Canada (6%), France (7%) and the USA (8%) and in the neighbouring nations, such as Bahrain (8%) 2 and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (7.1%), 3,4 no study to date has been conducted in Qatar to document the specific maternal socio-demographic and biological risk factors associated with LBW. It is particularly important to document the maternal risk factors associated with LBW in Qatar, as it is currently undergoing rapid economic development and is one of the highest per capita incomes in the world; and has a rapidly developing health infrastructure. A total of 17,210 live births were reported in Qatar during 2008, an increase of 53% compared to that of the year 2000 (11254 births). 1 These swift changes are likely to have a major impact on maternal socio-demographic factors which may be related to LBW. As noted in international studies, LBW rates are significantly affected by socio-demographic factors such as ethnicity, 5 socio-economic status 6 and maternal complication. 7 These economic changes may also have a large impact on the maternal, biological and epigenetic factors related to LBW. In particular, the obesity epidemic which is sweeping the Arabian Gulf region 8 is likely to have an impact on the percentage of obese mothers. A number of studies have documented associations between LBW and maternal body mass index (BMI). 9 Another compelling reason to investigate the LBW rates in Qatar is the high consanguinity rate (52%). 10 A previous study conducted in the UAE 3 found increased incidence of LBW among consanguineous unions. 10-12 The current study aimed at verifying these relationships by investigating the maternal socio- demographic and biological risk factors associated with giving birth to an LBW infant among Arab women in Qatar. Subjects and Methods The case-control study in which participants were J Pak Med Assoc 598 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Socio-demographic and consanguinity risk factors associated with low birthweight Abdulbari Bener, 1 Najah Mohammed Saleh, 2 Khalil Mohd Khalil Salameh, 3 Basma Basha, 4 Sharen Joseph, 5 Rama Al Buz 6 Abstract Objective: To examine socio-demographic and biological risk factors associated with mothers giving birth to a low birthweight newborn among Arab women in Qatar. Methods: The case-control study was conducted at two main tertiary hospitals in Qatar in which participants were prospectively identified from January 2010 to April 2011. Data were collected by survey on maternal ethnicity, age, education, socioeconomic status, body mass index, consanguinity and gestational age. A total of 16,500 newborns were screened for low birthweight. A total of 863 mothers of low birthweight cases and an equal number of mothers of normal-weight babies were studied. Results: Qatari mothers were found to be 1.2 times as likely to have a low birthweidht (<2500g) newborn compared to other Arab women (p<0.057). Mothers with a primary school education were 1.6 times as likely as university educated mothers to have a low birthweidht newborn (p<0.006). Likewise, obese mothers were 1.5 times as likely as their normal-weight counterparts (p<0.009). Consanguineous couples who were first-degree cousins were 1.9 times as likely as non-related couples to have a low birthweidht newborn (p<0.001). Newborns with a gestational age of <37 weeks were 19.6 times as likely as those > 37 weeks to have a low birthweidht (p <0.001). Conclusion: The majority of the risk factors associated with low birthweidht were modifiable. Health education campaigns need to target the most vulnerable groups to reduce the rates of low birthweidht among Arabs in Qatar. Keywords: Low birthweight, Birth, Maternity, Risk factors, Short term interpregnancy. (JPMA 63: 598; 2013) 1 Department of Medical Statistics & Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Hamad General Hospital, Qatar. Department of Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. 1,4-6 Department of Public Health & Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar. 2 Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 3 NICU Unit, Women's Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Correspondence: Abdulbari Bener. Email: abener@hmc.org.qa