What drugs cause low birth weight?
An estimated 213,000 (9.1%) drank alcohol while pregnant and 77,000 (3.3%) used illicit drugs. We previously reported that prenatal cocaine, tobacco, or alcohol use during pregnancy was associated with a decrease in birth weight evident after 32 weeks’ gestation.
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.
What happens if baby is born with low birth weight?
A baby with low birthweight may be at increased risk for complications. The baby’s tiny body is not as strong and he or she may have a harder time eating, gaining weight, and fighting infection. Because they have so little body fat, low birthweight babies often have difficulty staying warm in normal temperatures.
What are the 3 categories of low birth weight?
Low birth weight (LBW): A LBW baby weighs less than 2500 grams, or 5 lbs 5 oz. Very low birth weight (VLBW): A VLBW baby weighs less than 1500 grams, or about 3 lb 9 oz. Extremely low birth weight (ELBW): An ELBW baby weighs less than 1000 grams, or about 2 lb 3 oz.
How many babies are born with low birth weight?
Number of babies born low birthweight (less than 2500 grams): 321,839. Percent born low birthweight: 8.17%. Percent born very low birthweight: 1.40%. Number of preterm births: 388,218.
Where is the highest incidence of low birthweight?
Low birthweight incidence and trends. Among regions, South Asia has the highest incidence of low birthweight, with one in four newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams. South Asia also has the highest rate of infants not weighed at birth, at 66 per cent.
Which is the best indicator of low birthweight?
Two key indicators about birthweight are described in this section, (i) low birthweight prevalence and (ii) prevalence of newborns without birthweight data. Birthweight is the first weight of the newborn obtained after birth.
Why is low birth weight a public health problem?
Nutrition and low birth weight: from research to practice Low birth weight (LBW) remains a significant public health problem in many developing countries, and poor nutrition both before and during pregnancy is recognized as an important cause.