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. 1997 Jun;87(6):1003–1007. doi: 10.2105/ajph.87.6.1003

The effect of high altitude and other risk factors on birthweight: independent or interactive effects?

G M Jensen 1, L G Moore 1
PMCID: PMC1380938  PMID: 9224184

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether the decline in birth-weight with increasing altitude is due to an independent effect of altitude or an exacerbation of other risk factors. METHODS: Maternal, paternal, and infant characteristics were obtained from 3836 Colorado birth certificates from 1989 through 1991. Average altitude of residence for each county was determined. RESULTS: None of the characteristics related to birthweight (gestational age, maternal weight gain, parity, smoking, prenatal care visits, hypertension, previous small-for-gestational-age infant, female newborn) interacted with the effect of altitude. Birthweight declined an average of 102 g per 3300 ft (1000 m) elevation when the other characteristics were taken into account, increasing the percentage of low birthweight by 54% from the lowest to the highest elevations in Colorado. CONCLUSIONS: High altitude acts independently from other factors to reduce birthweight and accounts for Colorado's high rate of low birthweight.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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