Low birth weight translates to more problems: Tennessee lags far behind the national average
Editor’s note: The following is the second part of a continuing series detailing the well-being of children in Warren County, as was determined by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth in its recent publication “Kids Count 2002: The State of the Child in Tennessee.”
Low birthweight babies have many problems, not the least of which is a mortality rate 24 times higher than their normal birthweight counterparts.
Warren County’s low birthweight rate for 2000 was 9 per every 1,000 live births, a slight increase above the previous year, but still just slightly below the state average of 9.2 per 1,000 live births, according to data released by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth in its recent publication “Kids Count 2002: The State of the Child in Tennessee.”
A low birthweight baby is defined as one weighing less than 5.5 pounds at birth. Low birthweight babies fall into two categories, premature births and small-for-term births. Premature births, which are characterized by babies with less developed organs, are those that occur before the 37th week of pregnancy. The data shows 60 percent of low birthweight babies are premature.
Small-for-term babies, on the other hand, are those which are full term, yet are still underweight. This is sometimes the result of the slowing or temporary halting of growth in the womb.
All causes of low birthweight babies, however, have yet to be determined. The committee reported that while low birthweight can sometimes be the result of a single factor, more times than not it is the result of a combination of factors.
Limiting normal fetus development which results in low birthweights may be such causes as fetal defects, improperly functioning placenta or multiple births. A mother’s medical problems have also been known to affect birthweight, especially if she has high blood pressure, certain infections or heart, kidney or lung problems.
Such socio-economic factors as low income and lack of education are also linked to low birthweights, the commission found. Additional risk factors cited include pregnancy in women under 17 and over 35, being unmarried and having a prior history of premature birth.
According to the March of Dimes, the actions of a mother before and during pregnancy can also contribute to low birthweight. Those planning to get pregnant, the organization said, should have a pre-pregnancy checkup, consume a multivitamin containing folic acid, and stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
During pregnancy it is recommended all mothers-to-be get early, regular prenatal care, eat a balanced diet with enough calories (about 300 a day more than normal) and gain enough weight (between 25 and 35 pounds for women of normal weight).