Low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organization as a birth weight of an infant of 2,499 grams or less, regardless of gestational age. It can result from a variety of causes, including the infant simply being born at a low gestational weight, environmental factors, or the health of the mother during pregnancy. Affected infants carry added health risks that require close management, often in a neonatal intensive care unit, and are at increased risk of infant death in the weeks following birth as well as long-term neurodevelopmental disorders.
Facts
Classification
ICD-10 ChapterXVI: Certain Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period 1 Communicable or Non-communicable Transmission Route Sources
1. Wikipedia: ICD-10
WikipediaList of chapters, Chapter XVIQuote, List of chapters, Chapter XVI
Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
2. Wikipedia: Low birth weight
Causes
LBW is either caused by preterm birth (that is, a low gestational age at birth, commonly defined as younger than 37 weeks of gestation) or the infant being small for gestational age (that is, a slow prenatal growth rate), or a combination of both.
Causes, maternal risk factors
Environmental risk factors include smoking, lead exposure, and other types of air pollution.
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