The delivery data at the Surakarta hospital for the period of February, 20th 2015–April 3rd, 2015, showed that the incidence of malnutrition of pregnant mothers was 22.5 % and that of infants with low birth weight was 25%. To investigate the correlation between the nutritional status of pregnant mothers and low birth weight at the Surakarta hospital, this study used the case-control approach. Its variables were measured with a baby
scale, toward Health Care of Pregnant Women. The samples were collected by using the quota sampling. Its subjects were 40, namely: 30 infants with average birth weight and ten infants with low birth. The research used the chi-square test. It found that 22.5% of the mothers had malnutrition, 77.5% had good nutritional. Also, 25% of the infants had a low birth, 75% had a normal. The analysis with Fisher’s p-value was 0.029 and OR was 6.5. There was a significant difference between the nutritional status of pregnant mothers and the incidence low birth weight at the Surakarta hospital. The expectant mothers with malnutrition had the probability of 6.5 larger to have infants with low birth weight than their counterparts with excellent nutritional.
Keywords: Nutritional; pregnancy; low birth weight