How many infants born in India are low birth weight babies?
In India, 30-35% babies are LBW, however, more than half of these infants are full term babies [7]. India alone accounts for 40% of low weight babies in the overall developing countries and more than half of those born in Asia [8].
What is low birth weight prevalence?
Globally, more than 20 million babies are born annually with LBW – about 15.5% of all live births (2). The incidence of LBW differs considerably between developed and developing countries.
Do Indian babies weigh less?
They found that Asian-Indian women were more than twice as likely to have low birth weight infants as were white women. These infants weigh 2,500 grams (about 5.5 pounds) or less at birth, either because they grew poorly in the womb or were born prematurely.
What is the cause for many low birth weight babies?
What causes low birth weight? Low birth weight is most often caused by being born too early (premature birth). That means before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A premature baby has less time in the mother’s womb (uterus) to grow and gain weight.
What is the average birth weight in India?
The average Indian new-born usually weighs between 2.5 to 2.9 Kgs. Birth weights is a strong indicator of the mother’s health and nutritional status and also the chances of survival of the new-born and long term health and development of the child.
What are the risk factors of low birth weight?
Who is at risk for very low birth weight?
- Having an infection during pregnancy.
- Not gaining enough weight during pregnancy.
- Having a previous pregnancy with a low-birth-weight baby.
- Smoking.
- Using alcohol or drugs.
- Being younger than age 17 or older than age 35.
- Being African American.
Is 2.8 kg low birth weight?
The average birth weight for babies is around 3.5 kg (7.5 lb), although between 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) and 4.5 kg (10 lb) is considered normal. In general: Boys are usually a little heavier than girls. First babies are usually lighter than later siblings.
Who is most likely to have a low birth weight baby?
Being a teen (especially younger than 15) or being older than 35 makes you more likely than other parents to have a low-birthweight baby.
Where does low birth weight occur in India?
Three models of Logistic regression were carried out to examine the influence of the combinations of these direct and indirect factors. In India, nearly 20% of new borns have LBW. Males have less frequency of LBW than females. The North-east zone has the lowest prevalence of LBW while the north zone has the highest.
What’s the average weight of a baby in India?
About a third of Indian neonates weigh less than 2.5 kg at birth. There has not been any substantial decline in the incidence of low birth weigth (LBW) over the last four decades. Majority of Indian LBW infants are mature, being born after 37 weeks of gestation.
When does a baby have a low birth weight?
Newborn babies weighing less than 2,500 grams are considered low-birth-weight (LBW) babies. The incidence of babies born with low birth weight is highest in South Asia, specifically in India. A nutritious diet is very essential for a pregnant woman as it is she who passes the food to the baby in the womb.
Which is the lowest prevalence of lbw in India?
Results: In India, nearly 20% of new borns have LBW. Males have less frequency of LBW than females. The North-east zone has the lowest prevalence of LBW while the north zone has the highest.
