Low birth weight is a common condition that may or may not affect the development of the baby while growing up, depending on the case.

Low birth weight

Low birth weight means that the baby is born with a weight that is less than normal, which is usually 2.5 kilograms (5 pounds) or more. Low birth weight can be divided into three categories:

Low birth weight: the weight is less than 2.5 kilograms (5 pounds).

Very low birth weight: the weight is less than 1.5 kilograms (3 pounds).

Extremely low birth weight: the weight is less than 1 kilogram (2 pounds).

Causes and risk factors of low birth weight

The main causes of underweight babies are:

• Preterm birth (premature birth): in this case, the baby is born before week 37 of pregnancy, which means that they spent less time in the uterus than normal.
• Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR): in this case, something slowed down or stopped the growth of the fetus during pregnancy due to issues with the placenta, the mother’s health, or the fetus’s health.

The risk of low birth weight increases due to the following factors:

• A chronic disease or an infection during pregnancy.
• Not gaining enough weight during pregnancy.
• Drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking certain medications during pregnancy.
• Pregnancy with multiples.
• Exposure to lead or contaminated air.
• Preterm labor.
• Being 17 or younger or 35 or older.

Symptoms of low birth weight

• A baby with a low birth weight seems much smaller than normal.
• The head may look bigger than the body.
• The baby may appear thin with little body fat.
• Low birth weight can lead to jaundice, low blood sugar, ARDS, bleeding inside the brain, necrotizing enterocolitis, patent ductus arteriosus, and retinopathy of prematurity.
• In the long term, low birth weight increases the risk of developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, learning differences, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.

Diagnosis of low birth weight

• During pregnancy, monitoring the weight gain or measuring the fundal height.

Treatment of low birth weight

• Putting the baby in the neonatal intensive care unit.
• Using a temperature-controlled bed.
• Intravenous feeding or using a tube in the stomach.
• Managing other complications, if any.
• To reduce the risk of low birth weight, the mother must get her regular check-ups, have the recommended nutrition, avoid alcohol and smoking, and manage other conditions, if any.