Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Nursing - Department of Pediatric Nursing

Low birth weight is a major health problem and a significant contributor to neonatal death in both industrialized and developing countries (Deshpande Jayant, et al., 2011). Tripathy, (2014) reported that the global prevalence of LBW is 17%, which means that about 25 million neonates worldwide, such neonates are born each year, and the WHO/UNICEF (2014) stated that 96.5% of them in developing countries and about 219 (22%) in every 1000 neonates in Egypt is born with LBW each year. Low birth weight contributes to 60% to 80% of peri-natal mortality and up to half of infant mortality. Teklehaimanot, Hailu, and Assefa, (2014) reported that LBW neonates usually need extra hospital care, and there is a constant concern and uncertainty over future health outcomes. Neonatal intensive care for these neonates is ranked the most costly of all hospitalization costs

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