Low Birth Weight Babies

LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABY

1         INTRODUCTION

      The prematurey babies have a major physiological handicaps are ill equipped for normal life. Expert and skilled care by us are required for these babies to have hope for normal life.

      LBW babies account for the largest number of admissions to the NICU and need to effective nursing care to sustain their life. 

2         INCIDENCE

      In India infant mortality rate is very high 68/1000 live birth of all the infant deaths maximum deaths take place in the 1^st month of life.

      Low birth weight and prematurity are a major contribution of infant mortality rate in India 

3         DEFINITION

      According to WHO   

                “A baby weighing 2500gm or less at birth irrespective of his period of gestation is called low Birth Baby”. Very low birth weight infant weight 1500mg or less and extremely-low birth weight infant weight 1000gms or less. 

4         CLASSIFICATION

1.       Preterm

2.       Small for date (SFD)

4.1.1       PRETERM

      Babies those are who are born before the end of 37  Weeks of gestation and whose rate of intrauterine growth was normal. They are small only because labour began before the end of 37 weeks.

      About 67 percent of low-birth weight babies are premature (1,500 grams) have the high risk for health problems.

4.1.2       SMALL FOR DATE

      SFD are infants whose rate was slow (retarded) and whose were delivered at term or later These babies are called growth-restricted, small-for-gestational age or small-for-date.  These babies may be full term, but they are underweight.