Birth Weight Summary Birth weight is the first weight of your baby, taken just after he or she is born. A low birth weight is less than 5.5 pounds. A high birth weight is more than 8.8 pounds. A low birth weight baby can be born too small, too early (premature), or both. This can happen for many different reasons. They include health problems in the mother, genetic factors, problems with the placenta and substance abuse by the mother. Some low birth weight babies may be more at risk for certain health problems. Some may become sick in the first days of life or develop infections. Others may suffer from longer-term problems such as delayed motor and social development or learning disabilities. High birth weight babies are often big because the parents are big, or the mother has diabetes during pregnancy. These babies may be at a higher risk of birth injuries and problems with blood sugar. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Encyclopedia Appropriate for gestational age (AGA) Intrauterine growth restriction Statistics and Research Child Health USA 2013: Low Birth Weight Health Resources and Services Administration FastStats: Birthweight and Gestation National Center for Health Statistics Gestational Age, Infant Birth Weight, and Subsequent Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Mothers: Nurses’ Health Study II Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Iron Supplements Reduce Behavior Problems in Low Birth Weight Infants American Academy of Pediatrics Percentage of Infants Born at a Low Birth Weight Department of Health and Human Services Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Birth Weight National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Fetal Macrosomia National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Gestational Age National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant, Low Birth Weight National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant, Small for Gestational Age National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Large for Gestational Age National Institutes of Health Specifics Fetal Macrosomia Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Large for Gestational Age (LGA) Merck & Co., Inc. Small for Gestational Age (SGA) MAGIC Foundation Your Premature Baby: Low Birthweight March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Start Here Growth and Your Newborn Nemours Foundation Tracking Your Baby’s Weight and Measurements American Academy of Pediatrics Related Issues Intrauterine Growth Restriction American Academy of Family Physicians Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) Nemours Foundation Find an Expert KidsHealth Nemours Foundation March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Array Large for gestational age (LGA) Neonatal weight gain and nutrition Small for gestational age (SGA) Journal Articles Birth Weight
