Term: Low Birth Weight

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 

• Child Health Status Indicators (2001)
• Early Development Instrument (EDI) Outcomes
• Health Status Indicators

Related terms 

• At Risk Newborn
• At-Risk Birth Weight
• Birth Weight
• High Birth Weight
• High Birth Weight Rate
• Low Birth Weight Rate
• Very Low Birth Weight

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)