Magnitude and Factors of Low Birth Weight among Term Newborns in Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital: Cross-sectional Study, 2025

Background: Low birth weight is an important indicator of maternal and child health. It is a significant determinant of infant and childhood morbidity, particularly of neurodevelopment impairments. It is also closely associated with fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the magnitude and associated risk factors for low birth weight among term newborns in Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2025. Methods : An institution-based cross-sectional study was performed. The researchers selected 352 respondents via a systematic sampling technique. The data were collected via a structured interviewer-guided questionnaire. The data were analysed manually via SPSS 25. Finally, the data were presented via statistical charts, tables, graphs and text. Results: The study included 352 newborns who delivered in Northwestern Ethiopia, for a response rate of 100%. The proportion of low-birth-weight newborns among term newborns was 8.1%. The mean age of the study participants was 29.75 years (SD±5.67), and 262 (74.4%). A maternal age less than 20 years [AOR=2.7 CI 1.2–5.7], more than 35 years [AOR=1.2 CI 1.01–3.4], history of abortion [AOR=3.4 CI 2.1–5.7], alcohol use [AOR=4.5 CI 3.50–5.93], presence of comorbidities during pregnancy [AOR=3.1 CI 2.79–4.16], lack of iron/folic acid supplementation [AOR=4.4 CI 2.4–3.8] and lack of dietary counselling [AOR=3.8 CI 1.8–6.4] were significant predictors of low birth weight among term newborns. Conclusion : Most of the determining factors of low birth weight among term newborns were preventable. Therefore, clinical and public health interventions should target those determinant factors.