Low birth weight is considered as the most influential factor in determining neonatal morbidity and mortality and may be associated with low levels of socioeconomic development and maternal and child care. This is a quantitative research aims to describe the risk factors for low birth weight newborns in public hospitals in the city of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results suggest the main risk factors: the preterm birth, family income below - two minimum salaries, nulliparity and multiparity, the occurrence of previous abortion, surgery delivery, infections, pre-eclampsia and a history of other children of low weight. It is recommended investment in the quality of prenatal care, since many of these risk factors can be avoided or minimized by prenatal care quality.
Infant, low birth weight; Risk factors; Prenatal care; Pediatric nursing
