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Show Low Birth Weight Low birth weight places infants at risk for infant death, illness, and disability. Caring for low birth weight babies can be very costly. Utah's percentage of low birth weight babies has consistently remained lower than the percentage for Table 91. Low Birth Weight* Utah U.S. Year Total White Black Total White Black 1970 6.5 6.5 12.9 7.9 6.8 13.9 1971 6.2 6.1 9.4 7.7 6.6 13.4 1972 6.0 6.0 11.9 7.7 6.5 13.6 1973 5.5 5.5 14.7 7.6 6.4 13.3 1974 5.3 5.2 17.9 7.4 6.3 13.1 1975 5.3 5.3 13.8 7.4 6.3 13.1 1976 5.4 5.3 14.0 7.3 9.1 13.0 1977 5.2 5.2 13.3 7.1 5.9 12.8 1978 5.6 5.6 7.3 7.1 5.9 12.9 1979 5.6 5.5 11.2 6.9 5.8 12.6 1980 5.3 5.2 9.6 6.8 5.7 12.5 1981 5.4 5.4 8.7 6.8 5.7 11.4 1982 5.6 5.5 11.4 6.8 5.6 11.2 1983 5.6 5.5 10.3 6.8 5.7 12.6 1984 5.6 5.4 10.1 6.7 5.6 12.4 1985 5.7 5.6 10.4 6.8 5.6 12.4 1986 5.4 5.3 9.3 6.8 5.6 12.5 1987 5.7 5.6 10.6 6.9 5.7 12.7 1988 5.7 5.6 11.8 6.9 5.6 13.0 1989 5.7 5.6 10.8 7.0 5.7 13.5 1990 5.7 5.7 12.8 7.0 5.7 13.3 1991 6.0 6.0 14.0 7.1 5.8 13.5 1992 5.6 5.1 5.9 7.0 5.8 13.3 1993 5.9 5.5 6.7 7.2 6.0 13.3 1994 5.9 5.9 10.1 7.3 6.2 13.2 1995 6.3 6.2 10.6 7.3 6.2 13.0 1996 6.6 6.6 11.9 7.4 6.3 13.0 the U.S. But during the past quarter century, neither Utah nor the U.S. has reduced their rates. The U.S. rate has been steadily increasing for the last decade and Utah's rate is now at its highest point for this 25 year period. Table 91. Sources: Utah 1992-1993: Utah Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records. Births by Race of Mother. Sex and Birthweight of Infant. Unpublished report. Utah 1991: Utah Children. 1993. Key Facts about Children in Utah, p.6. Utah 1970-1990: Utah Department of Health, Division of Health Care Resources, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics (1992). Utah's Vital Statistics Annual Report 1989 (Report No. 148). Salt Lake City, p.ll. U.S. 1991-1992: National Center for Health Statistics. Advance Report of Final Natality Statistics. Monthly Vital Statistics Reports: 42(3), 43(5). Hyattsville, MD. U.S. 1990:United States Bureau of the Census (1992). Statistical Abstract of the United States. 1992 (112* ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, p.68. U.S. 1970-1989: Utah Department of Health, Division of Health Care Resources, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics (1992). Utah's Vital Statistics Annual Report 1989 (Report No. 148). Salt Lake City: p.ll. *Percentage of birth weights less than 2500 grams. Figure 54 Total Percentage of Low Birth Weight •Utah U.S. % of Birth Weights Less than 2500g ^ 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 127 |