47 Percent of India's Low-Birthweight Babies Born in These Four States: BMJ Study Shows
Despite significant progress in reducing low birthweight cases across India over the past three decades, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and West Bengal continue to report alarmingly high numbers, reveals new research published in the open-access journal BMJ Global Health.
Low birthweight- defined as a newborn weighing less than 2500 grams- is considered a key indicator of maternal health, nutrition, and future health outcomes for the child, including cognitive development and the risk of chronic diseases.
To assess trends over the past 30 years, researchers analyzed data from five rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), covering the period from 1992–93 to 2019–21. The study included 626,087 live births, with 440,200 (around 70%) having recorded birthweights, and 614,428 (98%) assessed by the mother for perceived birth size. The proportion of babies with recorded weights rose from 16% in 1993 to 90% in 2021, improving the data's reliability over time.
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