Low Birth Weight

In African American women low birth weight has been associated with several chronic diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. African American women increased risk of preterm birth is a longstanding epidemiological enigma and a major public health problem(ciatation from african american womens lifetime upward economic mobility and preterm birth). To further investigate this public health problem, I have analyzed the work of previous researchers who found a correlation between chronic disease, preterm birth risk factors, and low birth weight babies in women of african descent.

Receiving good prenatal care is extremely important for an expecting mother. The prenatal period has a great impact on the newborn's health. Low birth weight is a problem among a certain population of newborns. It is crucial to understand the conditions in poverty and its

In our time period, there is a significant increase in the average body index in all age groups and most commonly with the women who are entering their reproduction age. According to the article, “Weight Gain During Pregnancy”, a normal weighted gravida, or pregnant woman, has BMI of 18.5–24.9 Kg/m2, over-weight gravida has BMI of 25–29.9 Kg/m2, and obese gravida has BMI of 30 and greater Kg/m2. Obese pregnant women face many critical health risks compare to normal weight pregnant women. In the study “Maternal Obesity a Global Health Problem and Its Implications on Maternal and Fetal Health”, by Hashmi and his colleagues, they aimed to find out if obese women were at greater risk of having adverse reproductive outcomes compared to women with a normal BMI. By using

In the United States, there are disparities between the different racial groups when it comes to low birth weights and premature births. Evidence of this can be seen with information collected Reichman (2005). She found that African Americans have the highest rate with this accounting for 13.0%. While whites are reporting 6.5% and Hispanics are seeing figures of 6.5%. However, inside the Hispanic demographic there are differences in these numbers as Puerto Ricans have 9.4%. These disparities are not tied to economic status with many educated African American women having children of low birth weight. Whereas, there are differences between select segments of the Hispanic population in contrast with other sub groups. (Reichman, 2005)

The term low birth weight is used in describing infants weighing less than 5 lbs 8 ounces (2500g) whereas the average weight is 8 lbs (Stanford, 2015). An infant with a low birth weight has a significantly higher chance of neonatal and perinatal mortality (Maheswari & Behera, 2014). Babies who do persevere and survive are documented of having inadequate neurosensory, cognitive, behavioral development and limited school performance (Guyatt & Snow, 2004). Shiono and Behrman (1995) state that infants with low birth weight consist of 7% of live births, however, 35% of the cost of health care goes towards caring for low birth weight infants. Studies show that African American infants are twice more than Caucasian infants to have a low birth weight. To bring a life into this world takes more than conception; sacrifices need to be made, nurturing, and providing a safe home for the child, but many minorities struggle to fulfill these needs. Health and health care are imperative when it comes to being an expecting mother; therefore, it is important that to address what influences the birth weight of African American infants in my research paper. I hope to address how factors such as racial discrimination within the American health care system, prenatal care, stress, and the age of the mother contributes to the low birth weight (LBW) disparities between African American infants and Caucasian infants.

The U.S. infant mortality rate is 5.7 per 1000 births and 1.5 in Canada although has declined over the past several decades (O'Neill & O'Neill, 2007). Low-birth weight babies have a better chance at survival in the U.S. than in Canada due to advances in medical technology and expenditures on intensive care units (O'Neill & O'Neill, 2007). The reason there are more infant mortality rates in the U.S. is because there are more infants born weighing very little than compared to Canada.

There was data exhibited as confirmation for this investigation expressed there were other uncontrollable issues at hand that would cause women to have low birth weight babies including lack of medical insurance, poverty stricken life and lack of finances/unemployed. Alongside these three variables, there were a few other environmental/ecological elements that were recognized including high crime rate, toxins/contamination, lack of transportation and drug and other substance abuse.

Low Birthweight: a baby born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces is considered as with low birthweight two main reasons are responsible for a birth of baby with low birthweight: premature birth and fetal growth restriction. Other medical risk factors leading to the low birthweight include: preterm labor, chronic health conditions, infections, problems with the placenta, not gaining enough weight during pregnancy and having a low birthweight infant in the past. Along with medical risk factors there are other risk factors of everyday life associated with low birthweight newborn: smoking, drinking alcohol, drug abuse, little or no education, low income or being unemployed (March of Dimes,

Low birth weight (LBW), defined as an infant weighing less than 2500g at birth, and very low birth weight (VLBW), infants <1500g, are health outcomes that themselves are indicators of future health outcomes, as well as present and future morbidity and mortality risk (“Birth Outcomes,” 2017). A large component of these associated outcomes are neurobehavioral, manifesting as impaired cognitive and language development measured in childhood, as well as lower IQ, poorer academic achievement, and reduced executive function measured later on (Aarnoudse-Moens et al., 2009; Barre et al., 2011; Hack et al., 2002; Linsell et al., 2015; Litt et al., 2012). Although decreasing in prevalence, neurosensory impairments, such as cerebral palsy, blindness,

The rate of pregnancies ending in low birth weight (less than 2.5 kilograms) is roughly twice as high in African-American populations in comparison to Caucasian populations; rates of extremely low birth weight (less than 1.5 kilograms) are almost three times as high, and the rates of infant mortality are twice as high.15 There

Birth outcomes not only predict immigrant health outcomes, they also may determine factors affecting health behaviors of foreign-born immigrants and U.S.-born Americans. Research articles on immigrant infants’ health indicate despite parents’ ethnicity, newborns from foreign-born immigrant mothers have lower rates of low birth weight and fewer preterm births than newborns from U.S.- born mothers. Reducing preterm (<2500g) births are important for perinatal health because preterm and low birth weight put babies at a higher risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality (Urquia, Frank & Glazier 2010). Low birth weight is associated with higher risks of congenital anomalies, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders, and generally poorer child health

What is low birth weight? Why is it an issue? What are the risk factors for babies born with low birth weight? According to Pillitteri (2014), “low birth weight is a baby born weight under 2500 grams” (p. 708). Babies that are considered to be LBW can be preterm or full term.

There are five key health status indicators commonly used for countries. These indicators are infant mortality rate, life expectancy at birth, maternal mortality ratio, neonatal mortality rate, and under-5-mortality rate (childhood mortality rate). These indicators measure health status and make comparisons across people in the same country or across different countries (Skolnik, 2012). I believe the most important health status indicator in a poor is the life expectancy after birth. A very good example is a baby girl born in Japan is expected live to 85 years of age, have enough food in the table, vaccinated, and have a good education versus to the baby girl born in Sierra Leon is expected to live of just 36 years of age, have no food

Bolivia has the highest infant mortality rate (31 per 1000 live births) and the lowest life expectancy among the countries mentioned in the above table. According to the find the data website, Bolivia is among the poorest country in the Latin America with an estimated 39.06% of its population are under the poverty line. Therefore, socioeconomic status of the Bolivians may account for the high mortality rate and low life expectancy than the other four countries compared. Chile has the highest life expectancy (81 years in average for both sexes) and adult obesity rate (29.4 in average) among the five compared countries. Surprisingly, these two countries show paradoxical analysis in terms of the obesity versus life expectancy. Although it’s undeniable

While some women who received no prenatal care had normal, uncomplicated births, others did not. Most of the women who did not receive adequate prenatal care gave birth to an underweight and underdeveloped infant. Among the benefits of early, comprehensive prenatal care are decreased risk of preterm deliveries and low birth weight (LBW)-both major predictors of infant morbidity and mortality. (Dixon, Cobb, Clarke, 2000). Preterm deliveries, deliveries prior to 37 weeks of gestation, have risen. Since the studies in 1987, which showed the rate of preterm deliveries as 6.9% of births, the 1997 rate shows an increase to 7.5%. Low birth weight, defined as an infant weighing less than 2500 grams (5lbs. 5oz) is often preceded by preterm delivery. Low