Complications

Low Birth Weight Babies

Low birth weight babies are classified as babies who weigh less than 5 pounds and 8 ounces when born. There is such a thing called very low birth weight that means babies are born weighing 3 pounds and 5 ounces or less. Many factors contribute to why a newborn would weigh so little. These include the lifestyle of the mother, how old she is, and other health reasons. Long-term defects can happen to babies who are small when born.

There are two categories to which a low birth weight baby would fall into. One is that the baby is born pre term or prematurely. These babies are born before the 37 week of pregnancy is up. When this happens a newborn may not be fully developed. This means that their lungs, heart, and brain may suffer greatly if they are born too soon. Babies who are born before the 37th week, but close to it may not be of low birth weight and not suffer any health problems. The other category is called small for date babies. These are newborns that are full term babies that just developed slowly in the womb.

There a few reasons why a baby would be born with low birth weight. One reason is genetics. Moms who deliver twins or triplets may have babies who are very small. These babies are kept in an incubator and monitored closely. The placenta can also cause low birth weight if it does not grow properly and function, as it should. High blood pressure and heart infections can also cause this to happen. There are no definite reasons for why babies are born not weighing enough although so answers do answer the question.

While pregnant moms to be must take good care of themselves. If they do not, then their actions can affect their babies greatly. This does include low birth weight. A mother's lifestyle cannot include activities that endanger her little ones. This means she must not smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. All of these can cause a baby to born whom is very small. The diet of mom and taking prenatal vitamins can also affect the outcome of her baby's weight. In addition, teenage mothers tend to have babies who have low birth weight. Pregnancy is a time to treat you right and be healthy. The healthier that you are the better the outcome. Your baby deserves a mom that puts him or her first and wants only the best for her new little one.