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Show Low Birth Weight Compiled by Beverly Hawkins, Erin Maughan, Beth Passey, and Ryan Roberts 2000 Low Birth Weight Prevalence: 6.6% Low Birth Weight (LBW) is defined as any child weighing less than 2500 grams at birth. In observing LBW trends, it is important to consider factors that increase the risks of LBW as well as measures of LBW outcome. Low Birth Weight is an important issue in public health because the long-term costs associated with related medical problems are much higher. In addition, LBW dramatically increases the risk of retarded cognitive and physical development, and is implicated in the majority of infant deaths. Nationally, several risk factors have been identified for LBW. A mother is more likely to have a LBW infant if she is an adolescent, is less well educated, uses tobacco, or receives inadequate prenatal care. Studies have also found several ways to reduce the incidence of LBW, including individualized prenatal care, nutrition counseling, health education, stress reduction, social support, and initial and ongoing risk assessment. Table 1 suggests that a prenatal paradox is developing in Utah. Utah's incidence of LBW is much lower than the national average-United Health ranks Utah 3rd in the U.S. for infant morality. However, at the same time, it ranks 49th in the U.S. for the number of women receiving adequate prenatal care. The Utah Department of Health is currently investigating this discrepancy. Early data suggest that, while most women in Utah begin their prenatal care during their first trimester, they often do not follow through with the scheduled visits. Other studies show that a lack of early care, but not necessarily subsequent care is tightly correlated with LBW outcomes. The Healthy People 2010 national goals for these health indicators are less than 5% LBW, greater than 90% prenatal care in the first trimester, and less than 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. As the data indicate, until recently, Utah's incidence of LBW has been increasing. Table 51. Low Birth Weight and Adequacy of Prenatal Care, % of Live Births, Utah and U.S., 1970-2000. Prevalence of LBW Adequate Prenatal Care (% of live births) (% of live births) Year Utah U.S. Utah U.S. 1970 6.5 7.9 N/A N/A 1975 5.3 7.4 N/A N/A 1980 5.3 6.8 N/A N/A 1985 5.7 6.8 N/A N/A 1990 5.7 7.0 69 74 1991 6.0 7.1 64 74 1992 5.7 7.1 70 74 1993 5.9 7.2 71 74 1994 5.9 7.3 73 74 1995 6.3 7.3 70 74 1996 6.6 7.4 67 74 1997 6.6 7.5 66 74 1998 6.8 7.6 61 74 1999 7.0 7.6 59 75 2000 6.6 7.6 N/A N/A I5] sz 4- Jl-0 1970 -100 o I6 c CD a. 40 - CD 20 - CD 1970 ¦Utah ¦U.S. 1980 1990 1980 Yegr 1990 2000 2000 Figure 35. Low Birth Weight and Adequacy of Prenatal Care, % of Live Births, Utah and U.S., 1970-2000. Sources: Curry. M.A. (1987). Access to prenatal care: Key to preventing low birthweight. Report of Consensus conferences. Hirata T, Bosque E. 1998. When they grow up: the growth of extremely low birthweight infants at adolescence. J Peds, 132(6): 971-975. Utah Department of Health. Utah's Vital Statistics Annual Report 2002. Office of Vital Records. Utah Department of Health. Centers for Disease Control. Entry into prenatal care-United States, 1989-1997. CDC MMWR Weekly, 49(18): 393-398. Utah's Health: An Annual Review Volume VIII 91 |