2007 Maine Marks |
Indicator: Low Birth Weight Infants
Outcome (s): Children and youth respected, safe and nurtured in their communities
Why This is Important
Low birth-weight infants face an increased risk of physical and developmental complications and death. These babies nationally account for nearly two-thirds of all neonatal deaths and are 21 times more likely to die during the first year than are heavier infants.
Where We Stand
Maine's incidence of low birth-weight (LBW) infants is consistently less than the national percentages. For 2005, results indicate that 6.8% of all babies born in Maine were of low birth-weight, compared to 8.2% in the U.S.
Data Source and Context
The Maine data comes from the Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics, Bureau of Health, Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
U.S. data comes from the preliminary and final birth data reports published by the National Center for Health Statistics (on-line at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm). A “low birth-weight infant” is defined as a live birth weighing less than 2500 grams (5.5 pounds).