Perinatal Indicator: Low Birthweight
Definition
A baby who is born weighing 5.5 pounds or less is considered Low Birthweight. A baby born weighing 3.25 pounds or less is considered Very Low Birthweight. Babies may have low birthweight because they are born preterm or because they did not grow normally during pregnancy.
Why Does This Matter?
Low birthweight is one of the primary reasons babies fall ill or die in the first year of life. The cost of caring for a single premature infant can be 25 times higher than the average cost for an infant born on time and at a healthy weight. Low birthweight infants can have mild to moderate impairments of vision, hearing or speech. A smaller percentage might have severe neurological or sensory problems, developmental delays, and learning disabilities. Low birthweight babies also tend to score lower in verbal processing and reading assessments, suffer from emotional and behavioral problems, and repeat one or more grades in school.
Percent of Live Births that are Low, Moderately Low, and Very Low Birthweight in Regions (SPAs) of LA County
2007
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LA County
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SPA 1
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SPA 2
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SPA 3
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SPA 4
|
SPA 5
|
SPA 6
|
SPA 7
|
SPA 8
|
2007
|
2008
|
|
VLBW (under 3lbs, 4oz.)
|
1.6%
|
1.2%
|
1.3%
|
1.2%
|
1.2%
|
1.5%
|
1.2%
|
1.4%
|
1.3%
|
1.21%
|
Low Birthweight (3lbs, 4 oz. - 5lbs., 8oz.)
|
6.3%
|
6.2%
|
5.9%
|
5.6%
|
6.4%
|
6.4%
|
5.5%
|
6.3%
|
6.1%
|
6.1%
|
Total LBW (under 5lbs., 8oz.)
|
8.0%
|
7.4%
|
7.2%
|
6.8%
|
7.6%
|
7.9%
|
6.8%
|
7.7%
|
7.4%
|
7.31%
|
|
Source: California Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics, OHIR Vital Statistics Section, 2007 and 2008 Vital Statistics, prepared by LA Best Babies Network, 2009. |
LA County Low birthweight babies by ethnicity, 2007
For further information, please read the LA Best Babies Network Perinatal Scorecard