Low birth weight, or small baby for gestational age, is a term used for newborns weighing less than 2, 500g, whether premature or not and can be caused by mother's health problems or by situations that occur during pregnancy such as repeated urinary infections, severe anemia, thrombophilia and prematurity.
The baby may be admitted to an intensive care unit, depending on his health conditions, however, in cases where the baby has no complications, he can go home as long as the parents follow the recommendations of a pediatrician.
What are the causes
The causes of the underweight newborn may be related to the mother's health conditions, problems with the baby's development during pregnancy or a reduction in the amount of nutrients offered to the baby during pregnancy. The main factors that cause low birth weight are:
- Cigarette use; Consumption of alcoholic beverages; Malnutrition of the mother; Repeated urine infections; Eclampsia; Problems in the placenta; Severe anemia; Deformities in the uterus; Thrombophilia; Prematurity.
In addition, pregnant women who have had placental detachment or pregnant women with twins may also have low birth weight newborns. Therefore, it is important to follow up with an obstetrician during pregnancy, because through ultrasound, the doctor may suspect that the baby is not growing enough and, soon after, make recommendations for specific care and treatments.
What to do
When the doctor diagnoses the low-weight baby during pregnancy, it is recommended that the mother rest, maintain a healthy diet, drink an average of 2 liters of water per day and do not smoke or consume alcoholic beverages.
In addition, some babies who are born with low weight need specialized care in an intensive care unit in hospitals in order to gain weight and receive medical care constantly.
However, not all babies born with low weight need to be hospitalized and do not develop complications, often being able to go home as soon as they are born, and in these cases, the most important thing is to offer breast milk, as this will help you gain weight and develop. See more about other low weight baby care.
Possible complications
Generally, the lower the birth weight, the greater the risk of complications, with some of these complications being:
- Low oxygen levels; Inability to maintain body temperature; Infection; Breathing discomfort; Bleeding; Bowel problems: Low glucose; Vision changes.
Although not all low birth weight newborns develop these complications, they must be accompanied by a pediatrician, in order for their development to happen normally.
