Analysis of scientific production on low birth weight published in Cuban medical journals

Introduction: Birth weight is the most important determinant of a newborn's chances of experiencing satisfactory growth and development; therefore, it is an important indicator of health. Studying scientific production in this field effectively complements the opinions and judgments issued by experts. Objective: To characterize the scientific production on low birth weight published in Cuban medical journals. Material and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional investigation was carried using the Cuban medical journals certified as scientific as the primary source of information. Indicators of scientific production, collaboration, impact and co-occurrence of terms were analyzed. Results: The Cuban scientific production consisted of 34 publications, with a predominance of 27 original articles. Authors with low productivity, high intra-institutional and interprovincial collaboration, and low national and international collaboration were evidenced, with a collaboration index of 5,15. The Dr. Zoilo E. Marinello Vidaurreta Electronic Journal was the most productive one, with 14.7 % of the publications. The term co-occurrence analysis yielded 3 clusters that formed the main emerging research focuses in Cuba related to low birth weight, risk factors and prematurity. Conclusions: Scientific production on low birth weight in Cuban medical journals was characterized as low and unstable. There is no leadership of Cuban researchers, journals and institutions in research on the subject. There was a predominance of collaboration at the local level and research on the risk factors associated with low birth weight and their relationship to prematurity.