Percentage of Live Born Infants With Low Birthweight by County, New Mexico, 2017-2019
Indicator Report Data View Options
Why Is This Important?
Low birthweight increases the risk for infant mortality and morbidity. As birthweight decreases, the risk for death increases. Low birthweight infants who survive often require intensive care at birth, may develop chronic illnesses, and later may require special education services. Health care costs and length of hospital stay are higher for low birthweight infants.
Definition
Low birthweight infants are those weighing less than 2,500 grams (about 5.5 pounds). The low birthweight rate is the number of live births under 2,500 grams divided by the total number of live births over the same time period. Low birthweight is defined as less than 2,500 grams (about 5 pounds, 8 ounces).
Data Sources
- Birth Certificate Data, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics (BVRHS), Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health.
(https://www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/bvrhs/vrp/) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC WONDER Online Database
(http://wonder.cdc.gov)
How the Measure is Calculated
Numerator:
Number of live born infants weighing under 2,500 grams.Denominator:
Total number of live births.