Low birthweight is when a baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Some babies with low birthweight are healthy, even though they’re small. But having a low weight at birth can cause serious health problems for some babies. A baby who is very small at birth may have trouble eating, gaining weight and fighting off infections. Some may have long-term health problems, too. About 1 in 12 babies (about 8 percent) in the United States is born with low birthweight. What causes a baby to have a low birthweight?There are two main reasons:
If your provider thinks your baby’s growth is being restricted, you may have ultrasounds more often (every 2 to 4 weeks) to track your baby’s growth. Your provider also may do other tests such as heart rate monitoring and tests to check for infections or birth defects. Babies who have birth defects are more likely to be born too early. Are you at risk of having a low-birthweight baby?Some things may make you more likely than others to have a low-birthweight baby. These are called risk factors. Having a risk factor doesn’t mean you’ll definitely have a low-birthweight baby, but it may increase your chances. Talk with your health care provider about what you can do to reduce your risk. Medical risk factors for having a low-birthweight baby
Rates of low birthweight in the United StatesBlack babies are more likely than others to weigh less than they should at birth. The rates of low birthweight among different ethnic groups are:
March of Dimes recognizes that racism and its effects are factors in the health disparities in pregnancy outcomes and babies’ health. We must work together to bring fair, just and full access to health care for all moms and babies. Does a low birth weight cause problems for the baby?Yes. Babies who weigh less than they should at birth are more likely than babies whose weight is normal to have health problems. Some need special care in a hospital’s newborn intensive care unit (also called NICU) to treat medical problems. These include:
Does a low weight at birth cause problems later in life?Babies who are born weighing too little may be more likely than others to have certain health conditions later in life, including:
If you’ve had a baby who weighed less than they should have at birth, talk with their health care provider about what you can do to help your baby be healthy. As your child grows, make sure they eat healthy food, stay active and go to all their health care checkups. Regular checkups can help your baby’s provider spot health conditions that may cause problems as your baby grows older. These checkups also help make sure that your child gets all the vaccinations they need to stay protected from certain harmful diseases. If my baby has developmental delays, do they need early intervention services?Yes. If your baby has developmental delays, it’s important to get early intervention services as soon as possible. Developmental delays are when your child doesn’t reach developmental milestones when expected. Early intervention services can help improve your child’s development. They can help children from birth through 3 years old learn important skills. Services include therapy to help a child talk, walk, learn self-help skills and interact with others. The CDC program Learn the signs. Act early offers tools and information for parents who think their child may have developmental delays. You can find your state’s contact information for early intervention services. You don’t need a doctor’s referral or a medical diagnosis to ask for a free screening. Last reviewed: June, 2021 |