Abstract
This review article provides an overview of the levels, trends and some possible explanations for the increasing rate of low birth weight (LBW) infants in Oman. LBW data from national health surveys in Oman, and published reports from Oman’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization were collected and assessed between January and August 2014. Oman’s LBW rate has been increasing since the 1980s. It was approximately 4% in 1980 and had nearly doubled (8.1%) by 2000. Since then, it has shown a slow but steady rise, reaching 10% in recent times. High rates of consanguinity, premature births, number of increased pregnancies at an older maternal age and changing lifestyles are some important factors related to the increasing rate of LBW in Oman. The underlying causes of this increase need to be understood and addressed in obstetric policies and practices in order to reduce the rate of LBW in Oman.
Subject
Publication details
- DOI
- 10.18295/2075-0528.1678
- Journal
- Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(2), 177-183
- Publisher
- Sultan Qaboos University
- Open access
- Gold open access
- License
- CC BY-ND 4.0
Cite this article
APA 7
Islam, M. M. (2025). Increasing Incidence of Infants with Low Birth Weight in Oman. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(2), 177-183. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1678
MLA 9
Islam, M. Mazharul. "Increasing Incidence of Infants with Low Birth Weight in Oman." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 15, no. 2, 2025, pp. 177-183. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1678.
Chicago (author–date)
Islam, M. Mazharul. 2025. "Increasing Incidence of Infants with Low Birth Weight in Oman." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 15 (2): 177-183. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1678.
Harvard
Islam, M. M. (2025) 'Increasing Incidence of Infants with Low Birth Weight in Oman', Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 15(2), pp. 177-183. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1678.
Vancouver
Islam MM. Increasing Incidence of Infants with Low Birth Weight in Oman. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2025;15(2):177-183. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1678
IEEE
M. M. Islam, "Increasing Incidence of Infants with Low Birth Weight in Oman," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 177-183, 2025, doi: 10.18295/2075-0528.1678.