This paper assessed 77 pregnant women undergoing the last three months of gestation, in order to analyze their exposure to risk factors for low birth weight. They lived in slums in the region of Vila Mariana, a district in the city of São Paulo, and were followed up by the "Projeto Favela", developed by the Federal University of São Paulo/School of Medicine. The maternal variables which most influenced birth weight were the mother's number of pregnancies and height. Primiparous women gave birth to newborns with lower birthweight, presenting an average difference of -264g when compared with infants born to multiparous mothers. Women whose height did not exceed 150cm also delivered infants with lower birth weight, demonstrating an average difference of -287g when compared with neonates born to taller mothers. Only 2.6% of the infants presented low birth weight, despite the high exposure of the studied population to risk factors.
pregnancy; birth weight; nutritional status; gestational risks; nutritional intervention
