It is generally recognized that being born with low birthweight is a disadvan tage for the baby. Perinatal causes remained significant in very low birthweight babies, as did congenital. In some cases, babies born prematurely or with intrauterine growth restrictions two leading causes of low birth weight see below may see an increase in risks for complications such as mental retardation, vision loss, andor learning problems. About 6% of all babies are estimated to be born with a low birth weight. Premature birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy and fetal growth restriction are the most common causes of low birthweight. Pdf the manifest importance of reducing the incidence of low birth weight is most obvious for the first year of life. So lets talk about causes of low birth weight and whether you always have to worry. Sachdev, professor and incharge, division of clinical epidemiology, department of pediatrics, maulana azad medical college, new delhi 110 002. Babies are born with low birth weight because of prematurity being born too early, poor intrauterine growth growing too slowly in the womb, or both.
Low birth weight any infant with a birth weight of less than 2. Babies with low birth weight neonatology jama jama. When a baby is born weighing less than 2,500 grams 5 lbs, 8 ounces he or she is considered to have a low birth weight. Discuss the outlook for low birthweight babies, and identify some of the ethical issues in. Top 12 causes of low birth weight in babies being the parent.
Why low birth weight is linked to obesity later in life. The factors vary from one area to another, depending upon geographic, socioeconomic and cultural factors. Low birth weight refers to babies who weigh less than 5. Low birthweight is when a baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. According to who or world health organisation, any baby who is born weighing lesser than 2. Low birth weight policy brief world health organization. Babies born with extremely low birth weight are not only at risk for physical problems but are also more likely to experience mental health problems later in life, according to an analysis of. Low birth weight health encyclopedia university of.
There can be no cause for a baby with low birth rate or low birth weight can be caused by any of the following. Being that small at birth increases a babys chance of having serious health problems or disabilities. Low birth weight causes, consequences and interventions to achieve. Some low birthweight babies are healthy, but others have serious health problems that need treatment. It is not unusual for the average baby to weigh around eight pounds when born. Grading birth weight grade 2500 2000 gm low birth weight 2000 gm very low birth weight causes. A premature birth is defined as any baby born before the age of 37 weeks of gestation. Some of these triggers can start affecting the child as early as pregnancy and birth. Learn low birth weight infant with free interactive flashcards. Although reliable data on the magnitude and global distribution of low birth weight lbw, birth weight pdf available in journal of the royal society of medicine 8811. The primary cause is premature birth, being born before 37 weeks gestation. One cause of low birth weight is that the baby is born early. Low birth weight lbw remains a significant public health prob lem in many developing countries, and poor nutrition both before and during pregnancy is recognized as an important cause. This compares with 19 percent of all tow birth weight infants for an average of 12.
The latter two groups were merged for some analyses. Low birthweight in newborns symptoms and causes boston. The mortality of low birth weight can be reduced if the maternal risk factors are detected early and managed by simple techniques. Causes of low birthweight the national academies press. The birth of a low birthweight infant and the problems that follow may place substantial emotional and financial stress on a young family. This occurs when a baby does not grow well in utero. Some lowbirthweight babies are healthy, but others have serious health problems that need treatment. It contributes substantially to neonatal, infant and childhood mortality as well as morbidity2. Preterm birth and sga are also important indirect causes of neonatal deaths. Hd2 11 problems of low birth weight and prematurity. Preventing low birthweight despite decades of research and prevention efforts, low birthweight less than 2,500 grams, or 5 lbs. Pdf social causes of low birth weight researchgate.
Choose from 75 different sets of low birth weight infant flashcards on quizlet. Despite high low birth weight rates, infant mortality rates in india are not very high, because the mature. A lowbirthweight baby may be healthy even though he or she is small. Causes and consequences of low birthweight a babys low weight at birth is either the result of preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation or of restricted foetal intrauterine growth.
Discuss the potential nutritional consequences of being a low birthweight baby, and ways to deal with them 6. They categorised the 12 355 251 babies in the study by birth weight, defining very low. Another cause for low birth weight is that the baby is small for its gestational age. However, it is important to understand that not all low birth weight babies have some underlying medical condition or problem. Across the world neonatal mortality is 20 times more likely for low birth weight babies compared to heavier babies 2. Keeping warm at home birth weight kg room temperature 0c 1. Very low birth weight refers to babies who weigh less than 3. Recently, a number of studies have discovered that low birth.
Preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation is by far the most common reason for low birthweight lbw, and trendlines for lbw tend to parallel those for preterm birth. Infants who weigh less than 2,500 g are considered low birth weight babies and if under 1,500 g are very low birth weight. A low birth weight baby will weigh less than 5 pounds 8 ounces. Describe the mechanisms of temperature control in low birthweight babies 5. Allcause mortality of low birthweight infants in infancy, childhood. Short gestation preterm birth is the main cause of death, morbidity. Low birthweight lbw is associated with increased mortality in infancy, but its.
Introduction guidelines on optimal feeding of low birth. Low birth weight is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces 2,500 grams. Low birth weight lbw has been defined by the world health organization who as weight. If your baby is born between 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy and weighs around 5 pounds 2. Low birth weight babies at higher risk for mental health. But there is a percentage of little ones, about 8%, who will weigh less than that. A babys low weight at birth is either the result of preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation or due to restricted foetal intrauterine growth. Low birth weight is associated with increased deaths in infancy and. It was formed by merging of the national rural health. Many factors play a role in triggering attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, making it difficult to isolate and identify each and every potential cause. Low birth weight lbw, defined as a birth weight low birthweight is when a baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Factors that can make you more likely to have a baby with low birth weight include health problems, like infection, cervical incompetence or issues with the uterus or placenta, and lifestyle choices, like smoking and drinking during pregnancy.
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