Nutrition and Food Sciences

Low Birth weight

Low birth weight is most often caused by being born too early (premature birth). That means before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A premature baby has less time in the mother's womb (uterus) to grow and gain weight. Much of a baby's weight is gained during the last weeks of pregnancy. Another cause of low birth weight is a condition called intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). This occurs when a baby does not grow well during pregnancy. It may be because of problems with the placenta, the mother's health, or the baby's health. Low birth weight is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 2,500 grams.