Low-Birth-Weight Babies
A baby born weighing less than 5 lbs 8oz or 2500g is considered a low-birth-weight newborn. This low weight occurs in approximately 1 of 12 newborns and can be caused by complications or a variation of normal. The two leading causes of low birth weight are babies being born prematurely and babies experiencing fetal growth restriction while in the womb.
As I mentioned above, in some circumstances, babies can be born low-birth-weight and have no complications. Still, for many babies, their size can be a prominent indicator of needing more interventions and help once born.
If a baby is born low-birthweight and prematurely or before 37 weeks, its small size makes a lot more sense. Premature babies typically need to have a stay in the NICU, and this stay might be longer or shorter depending on how early they were born. A fetus gains weight rapidly in the last few weeks of pregnancy, so it is common for a premature newborn to be low in birth weight.
In the circumstance where a fetus experiences intrauterine growth restriction while in the womb, the chances of complications go up postpartum. Risk factors can lead to a higher chance of an intrauterine growth restriction. These include chronic health conditions during pregnancy, getting an infection in pregnancy, taking in certain medications and substances during pregnancy, not gaining or maintaining weight during pregnancy, preterm labor, multiple pregnancies, being Black, living in a place with poor air quality, and either being younger than 17 or older than 35. Although these risk factors make intrauterine growth restriction more likely, they do not guarantee this diagnosis. If you do have a baby born who experienced intrauterine growth restriction, there are some complications they might encounter. Similar to that of a baby born preterm, these baby’s bodies may not have developed everything they need entirely, and because they are smaller, they are not as strong as babies born at a more typical weight. This means that they might struggle more with breathing, fighting infections, jaundice, low oxygen levels, and nervous or digestive system complications. Some complications can affect them later in life, like learning disabilities or delayed development of motor or social skills, as well as some health complications that can occur at higher rates for individuals who were born low weight.
There are some circumstances where a baby experiencing low birth weight or low growth is found during pregnancy. This might occur due to measurements of fundal height being low or during a routine ultrasound that shows a baby is developing slower than would be expected for its gestation. There are other times when a low-birth-weight baby is not discovered until it is born and weighed by the care providers. If a baby is found to be smaller than would be expected during pregnancy, there is a high likelihood of needing to treat the baby. The most common way that they treat babies with low birth weight is through induction or cesarean section. Typically, things like extra monitoring and possibly even an amniocentesis will be encouraged before delivery if you are not at 37 weeks gestation. Once your baby is born, the ways that they treat babies born low-birth-weight include care in the NICU, a temperature-controlled bed to help your baby maintain body heat, special feedings that sometimes need to happen via IV or a feeding tube depending on how well your baby can suck, and more depending on other complications that are occurring due to being low-birth weight.
There are ways to prevent preterm labor and IUGR leading to low-birth-weight babies, but even with all of these preventatives, there still might be a case of a baby being born low-birth-weight. Some of these preventions include eating a healthy Whole Foods diet and eating enough to fill your stomach with every meal. If this feels difficult or you are dealing with an eating disorder, it might be a good idea to meet with a nutritionist during your prenatal care. Avoiding illicit drugs and alcohol is another way to help prevent a low-birth-weight baby, and talking with your care provider about prescription medications that are safe for pregnancy is another good way to avoid complications. During pregnancy, it is also essential to have regular checkups and appointments to ensure that if a case of low birth weight occurs, it is caught as soon as possible. This can also help catch things like blood sugar issues, leading to abnormal growth in fetuses.
The good news is that we have come far in how we care for premature and low-birth-weight newborns. The prognosis goes up with every pound your little one gains leading up to birth, and with every week, your little one continues to develop intrauterine. Hiring a provider and staff members you can trust to care for your little one in the NICU while they slowly grow and gain weight is one of the best things you can do for your baby during pregnancy. Knowing that, without a doubt, your care provider has your and your baby’s best interests at heart, while making decisions that could be life-altering can provide some of the best peace of mind. Remember that your gut intuition can be trusted because you are the professional of this pregnancy and your body. Working together with your care provider to make a plan that feels right and safe for everyone involved is the best way to work through situations like low birth weight in a baby or fetus.
