Contents:
- Medical Video: Low Birth Weight in Infants: Dr. Soliman, CHOC Children's
- 1. Maternal nutritional status of a baby before becoming pregnant
- 2. The baby's mother's weight when she is pregnant
- 3. Mother's age while pregnant
- 4. Distance when giving birth to a child
- 5. Maternal health conditions
- 6. Give birth to twins
Medical Video: Low Birth Weight in Infants: Dr. Soliman, CHOC Children's
The birth weight of a baby reflects the developmental results in the content and adequacy of infant nutrition at birth. Babies are said to have low birth weight or low birth weight if they weigh less than 2500gr (2.5 kg). Some other classifications for low birth weight are: very low birth weight if below 1.5 kg, and extreme low birth weight if below 1 kg.
Low birth weight not only affects the condition of the baby at birth but also the health and survival of the baby. In general, babies born prematurely or less than 37 weeks of womb age have a lower birth weight than normal babies. In addition to the period of pregnancy, the baby's birth weight is determined by several factors that are generally related to maternal health and health during pregnancy.
1. Maternal nutritional status of a baby before becoming pregnant
The nutritional status of a prospective mother's baby determines the intake obtained by the womb baby. Adequacy of nutritional status before pregnancy is assessed using a body mass index (BMI). One study showed women who were underweight or with BMI <18.5 had twice the chance to give birth to low-weight babies compared to individuals with normal BMI. When before entering pregnancy, BMI illustrates body development and adequate intake for mother and baby.
2. The baby's mother's weight when she is pregnant
Increased intake to meet baby's needs will definitely have an impact on weight gain during pregnancy. Weight gain ranges from 5 kg to 18 kg which is adjusted to nutritional status before pregnancy, in normal-bodied individuals the recommended weight gain is around 11 kg to 16 kg. Gaining too much weight increases the risk of low birth weight babies. This is proven by research by Frederik and colleagues who found that the increase in weight of pregnant women has a positive relationship to the weight of the baby at birth, the greater the increase in body weight of pregnant women, the higher the baby's weight at birth.
3. Mother's age while pregnant
Low birth weight babies are generally found in women who are pregnant during adolescence. The body of a teenage woman is not ready to experience pregnancy, this can also be caused by the adequacy of nutrition at that age. Pregnancy in adolescence most often occurs at the age of 15-19 years. As a result, the risk of giving birth to low birth weight babies is 50% higher than the normal age for pregnancy or around 20-29 years.
4. Distance when giving birth to a child
If the time of pregnancy is too close to the time of giving birth to a previous child, then the possibility of the baby's mother's body has not stored enough nutrients for the next pregnancy. Nutritional needs will increase during pregnancy, and will be even higher if the mother has a pregnancy and must give breast milk simultaneously so that it increases the risk of low birth weight babies. Something research in India found that mothers who gave birth to low birth weight tended to have shorter birth intervals. The average LBW occurs in mothers who give birth at a distance of only 24 months from the previous birth.
5. Maternal health conditions
Maternal health during pregnancy and medical history before it can contribute to LBW. Not only physical health problems, but also psychological health of the mother. Following are some maternal health problems that can cause low birth weight babies:
- Anemia - This condition is generally caused by a deficiency of iron (Fe) in the blood during pregnancy and is overcome by taking supplements of Fe tablets while pregnant.
- A history of miscarriage and delivery of LBW - one of the problems that cause miscarriage is when the body cannot maintain the womb. Individuals over the age of 30 are usually more at risk of having weaker content so they are at risk of premature delivery and low birth weight.
- Infectious diseases - some infectious diseases that can cause LBW are HIV, toxoplasmosis and listeria. HIV can be transmitted through the placenta of HIV-infected mothers to infants to cause developmental and immune disorders in the womb. While toxoplasmosis and listeria infect through foods that are not mature or unhygienic.
- Pregnancy complications - including disorders of the uterus and lower placental location so that the baby must be born with a caesarean section at less than the normal womb age.
- Pregnancy blues - caused by hormonal disorders that cause continuous sadness during pregnancy. The impact can eliminate constant appetite and fatigue in pregnant women.
- Exposure to alcohol and cigarette smoke during pregnancy (passive or active) - consumption of both causes toxins into the bloodstream of pregnant women and can damage the placenta, which can damage the source of nutrition for babies in the womb. Both can also cause cell damage, especially proteins and lipid layers. Consumption of just as much as 20 grams of alcohol can cause the fetus to experience development and breathing problems.
6. Give birth to twins
With more than one baby in the womb, the body will try harder to meet nutritional needs. If you experience a lack of nutrition during pregnancy, this can cause low birth weight. Twins born also tend to have smaller bodies because of limited space to develop during womb so they have a lower birth weight. There is a good idea that mothers who have been detected will have twins increase the adequacy of intake and increase body weight ranging from 14 kg to 23 kg in order to reduce the risk of giving birth to twins with low birth weight.
READ TOO:
- Excessive Weight When Pregnant Can Be at Risk for a Child's Heart
- Impact of Bulimia on Pregnant Women and Babies
- Why Pregnant Women Need to Do Genetic Screening
