Max Rady College of Medicine

Term: Low Birth Weight

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Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2012-05-16

Definition:

Any infant who weighs less than 2500 grams at birth. It is 1 of 6 major Health Status Indicator categories (Cohen & MacWilliam, 1994).

Other, slightly modified definitions have been used over time:

  • In Brownell et al. (2010), low birth weight is defined as "any infant who weighs between 500 and 2499 grams as recorded at birth."
  • In Santos et al. (2012), low birth weight is defined as 1,500-2,499 grams and a weight less than 1,500 grams describes a "very low birth weight".

Related concepts 

Related terms 

References 

  • Brownell M, Chartier M, Au W, Schultz J. Evaluation of the Healthy Baby Program. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2010. [Report] [Summary] (View)
  • Cohen MM, MacWilliam L. Population Health: Health Status Indicators. Volume II: Tables and Figures. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 1994. [Report] (View)
  • Frohlich N, Markesteyn T, Roos NP, Carriere KC, Black C, De Coster C, Burchill CA, MacWilliam L. A Report on the Health Status, Socio-Economic Risk and Health Care Use of the Manitoba Population, 1992-93 and Overview of the 1990-91 to 1992-93 Findings. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 1994. [Report] [Summary] (View)
  • Mustard CA. Maternal Demographic Risk Factors and the Incidence of Low Birthweight, Manitoba 1979-1989 (Report #91-11-04). Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 1991. [Report] (View)
  • Santos R, Brownell M, Ekuma O, Mayer T, Soodeen R-A. The Early Development Instrument (EDI) in Manitoba: Linking Socioeconomic Adversity and Biological Vulnerability at Birth to Children's Outcomes at Age 5. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2012. [Report] [Summary] (View)


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Manitoba Centre for Health Policy
Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine,
Rady Faculty of Health Sciences,
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University of Manitoba
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