Netsanet Mezgebe2025-11-062025-09-28https://repository.mu.edu.et/handle/123456789/95210.82589/muir-847Background - Internationally, low birth weight remains to be a major problem and is related with a range of short-and long-term consequences. Infants weighing less than 2,500 grams are approximately 20 times more likely to die than heavier babies. However, studies on magnitude and associated factors of low birth weight among newborns born in tertiary hospitals of Ethiopia like Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital during crisis times like war are unavailable. Objective – To assess the magnitude and identify factors associated with low birth weight among newborns born in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (ACSH), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia from October 2024 to December 2024. Methods –A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 279 mothers their respective newborns recruited by systematic random sampling technique. Data related to birth weight and associated factors were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and checklist, developed through a review of relevant literature. The sources of data included interviews conducted with mothers, medical records, and direct anthropometric measurements. Data were collected by trained midwives. The Open Data Kit (ODK) Collect mobile application was used for data collection. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics like frequency, percent, measure of central tendency, and measure of dispersion were employed to describe characteristics of the participants. In addition, A multivariable logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with low birth weight and explain the association using odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05. Result: The mean age of the women was 28.8 years. The magnitude of low birth weight in this study was 23.7%. The adjusted odds of low birth weight were 5.5 times higher among pregnant women with a MUAC of less than 23 cm (AOR=5.5; 95% CI: 2.2 to 13.4) compared to those with a MUAC of 23 cm or more. The adjusted odds of low birth weight were 11.6 times higher among pregnant women who gained less than 10 kg (AOR=11.6; 95% CI: 3.2 to 42.3) during pregnancy compared to those who gained 10 kg or more. Lastly, the adjusted odds of low birth weight were 2.5 times higher among women living in food-insecure households (AOR=2.5; 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.9) compared to those in food-secure households. Conclusion and recommendation: The present study revealed that recent Tigray war has significantly increased the magnitude of low birth weight (LBW) compared to the pre-war status. The magnitude of LBW is remarkably higher among women with a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) below 23 cm (with malnutrition), those with small weight gain during pregnancy, and women living in food-insecure households. Nutritional screening during pregnancy, nutritional counseling, targeted nutritional support and micronutrient supplementation, and awareness campaigns on the importance of maternal nutrition should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of LBW, especially in war-affected areas like Tigray.enFactorsLow birth weightMagnitudeThesis