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Preventing Low Birthweight
~ summary ~
INTRODUCTION
Low birthweight is a major determinant of infant mortality in the United
States. Infants weighing 2,500 grams (5.5 pounds) or less are almost 40 times
more likely to die during their first 4 weeks of life than the normal birth-
weight infant. In adclition, low birthweight survivors are at increased risk of
health problems ranging from neurodevelopmental handicaps to lower
respiratory tract conditions.
To determine whether opportunities exist to reduce the incidence of Tow
birthweight in this country, the Institute of Medicine convened an in-
terdisciplinary committee in 1983 to study the causes and prevention of
premature birth and intrauterine growth retardation, the twin contributors
to low birthweight. The committee was asked to define those measures likely
to be most effective in preventing low birthweight and to consider their costs
in relation to the costs of caring for low birthweight infants. As backgrounctto
such an analysis, the group was also asked to assess the relationship of Tow
birthweight to mortality and morbidity, to review existing information on the
physiological causes of Tow birthweight ancT the risk factors associated with
it, and to examine trends over time.
The committee concluded that the prevention of Tow birthweight could
contribute significantly to a reduction in infant mortality in the United States
and, more generally, to improved child health. Despite many unanswered
questions about causation and the interplay of important risk factors, policy-
makers and health professionals have enough information at present to
intervene more vigorously to improve pregnancy outcome. Useful ap-
proaches include placing greater emphasis on identifying and reducing risks
before pregnancy, increasing the accessibility of early and regular high-
quality prenatal care for all pregnant women, enriching the content of pre-
natal care and endowing it with sufficient flexibility to meet the needs of both
high- and low-risk women, and developing a long-term public information
program to convey messages about ways to reduce low birthweight. All of
these efforts should be supported by research activities that will increase
their effectiveness.
Progress in the directions recommended by the committee will require
recognition of the low birthweight problem as an important national issue.
This was partially achiever! in 1930, when the Surgeon General of the United
States specified a reduction in the low birthweight rate as one of the objec
Representative terms from entire chapter:
tow birthweight
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