Answer: The two main causes for a baby to be born at a low birth weight are premature birth and intrauterine growth restrictions (IUGR). Premature birth is a term for a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Sixty-seven percent of all low birth weight babies are premature births. Many people refer to these newborns as “preemies”. The earlier the baby is born, the less he or she will weigh. Babies born weighing under 3 pounds, 5 ounces are at extremely high risk for health problems at the moment of birth, in the days and weeks after birth, and during their lifetime. Premature babies born closer to term tend to need supervision for a few days, but are statistically in good shape, with mild or no health problems. However, late preterm infants have a significantly higher mortality rate than term infants and may be deceptively well looking.
