Altitude effect on birth weight and prematurity in the Province of Catamarca (Argentina).

Objectives: To analyze the effect of altitude on weight and prematurity at birth in the Province of Catamarca (Argentina), between the years 1994 and 2003.

Methods: Records of 22,628 newborns were collected from the vital statistics of the census of Catamarca. Weight was recategorized to include low birth weight (<2,500 g), and gestational age was divided into births that had occurred before or after 37 weeks (preterm or at term births).