Table 3 Demographic, clinical and laboratory test characteristics and adjusted odds ratios measuring the associations between LBW and risk factors in pregnant women

Demographic Characteristics

Maternal age (years)

<20

7 (5.9%)

14 (6.6%)

1

20–24

25 (21.2%)

50 (23.7%)

0.8(0.3-2.3)

> = 25

86 (72.9%)

147 (69.7%)

1.2(0.5-3.2)

0.9

Marital status, (%)

Married spouses of soldiers

102 (88.7%)

172 (82.3%)

1.0

Single women as parents of soldiers

13 (11.3%)

37 (17.7%)

0.7(0.3-1.3)

0.1

Occupation, (%)

Others with income

9 (7.7%)

28 (13.2%)

1

Housewives without income

108 (92.3%)

185 (89.9%)

0,4(0.1-1.7)

0.1

Number of previous pregnancies, (%)

Primigravidae

32 (27.1%)

45 (21.3%)

1.0

Multigravidae

86 (72.9%)

166 (78.7%)

0.8(0.5-1.3)

0.2

Number of children, (%)

<3

52 (63.9%)

119 (57.2%)

1.0

> = 3

53 (49.1%)

89 (42.8%)

1.5(0.9-2.4)

0.6

Number of abortion, (%)

No abortion

34 (28.8%)

62 (29.1%)

1.0

Abortion

84 (71.2%)

151 (70.9%)

1.1(0.6-1.7)

0.9

Trimester of visit, (%)

First-trimester

63 (53.4%)

100 (47.0%)

1.0

Second-trimester

31 (26.3%)

57 (26.8%)

0.8(0.5-1.4)

0.4

Third-trimester

24 (20.3%)

56 (26.3%)

0.8(0.5-1.4)

District of Kinshasa, (%)

Rural for Lukunga

30 (25.4%)

62 (29.1%)

1.0

Semi-urban for Amba

8 (6.8%)

13 (6.1%)

2.1(0.8-5.5)

0.3

Urban for Funa

80 (67.8%)

132 (64.8%)

1.4(0.8-2.3)

Examination findings

1.1(0.8-1.7)

Fever, (%)

46 (39.0%)

81 (38.0%)

1.1(0.7-1.7)

Body aches, (%)

8 (6.8%)

30 (14.1%)

1.2(0.6-2.4)

0.04

Headaches, (%)

15 (12.7%)

34 (16.0%)

1.4(0.8-2.6)

0.4

Digestive disorders, (%)

11 (9.3%)

24 (11.3%)

0.6(0.3-1.3)

0.6

Nausea and vomiting, (%)

5 (4.2%)

20 (9.3%)

1.7(0.8-3.9)

0.09

Respiratory infection, (%)

52 (44.1%)

80 (37.6%)

1.4(0.9-2.1)

0.2

Bleeding, (%)

10 (8.5%)

13 (6.1%)

0.9(0.4-2.3)

0.4

Placenta previa, (%)

13 (11.0%)

17 (8.0%)

1.1(0.5-2.3)

0.3

Urinary tract infection, (%)

70 (59.3%)

151 (70.9%)

0.9(0.5-1.4)

0.03

Laboratory tests

Anaemia (haemoglobin < 11 g/dL), (%⁴)

35 (29.7%)

73 (34.3%)

1.1(0.6-1.7)

0.3

Outcome

Malaria infection, (%)

111 (94.1%)

134 (62.9%)

7.0(3.3-14.5)

8.7 (3.8-19.7)

<0.001