Low Birth Weight > Births statistics - countries compared

Rank	Countries	Amount
# 1	Mexico:	9.4%
# 2	Japan:	8.6%
# 3	Hungary:	8.4%
# 4	Greece:	8.1%
# 5	United States:	7.8%
# 6	United Kingdom:	7.6%
# 7	Portugal:	7.4%
# 8	Luxembourg:	6.8%
# 9	Slovakia:	6.7%
# 10	Germany:	6.5%
= 11	France:	6.4%
= 11	New Zealand:	6.4%
= 13	Switzerland:	6.3%
= 13	Austria:	6.3%
= 15	Australia:	6.2%
= 15	Spain:	6.2%
# 17	Belgium:	6.1%
# 18	Italy:	6%
# 19	Czech Republic:	5.8%
# 20	Poland:	5.7%
# 21	Canada:	5.6%
= 22	Netherlands:	4.7%
= 22	Norway:	4.7%
# 24	Finland:	4.3%
# 25	Sweden:	4.2%
# 26	Iceland:	4.1%
	Weighted average:	6.4%

DEFINITION: Percentage of live births classified by the OECD as of low birth weight. Data generally for 2000; in some cases, data is for 1999, 1998, or, in the sole case of Belgium, 1997. Refer to the source for details.

SOURCE: OECD

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COMMENTARY

Edria Murray
Staff editor
25th February 2005

Low birthweight is defined as a birth weight of less than 2500g. These infants may suffer from infections, weakened immunity, learning disabilities, impaired physical development and, in severe cases, die not long after birth. Low birthweight is a factor in over two thirds of href=/graph/hea_inf_mor_rat&int=-1>infant mortality cases.

In developed nations, the most common causes of low birthweight are genetic factors, prematurity, multiple birth, high maternal age (over 35 years) and href=/graph/hea_tob_tot_adu_smo>smoking during pregnancy.

Although this statistic focuses primarily on developed nations, the majority of low birthweight babies are born in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In these regions, the main factors are poor maternal health, a high number of children per woman, closely spaced children, low maternal age (under 16 years), inadequate rest and infection.

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Health Statistics > Births > Low birth weight (most recent) by country

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