low-birth-weight infant

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low-birth-weight infant

A newborn low-birth-weight infant sleeps in a hospital incubator.

Definition

Noun: A newborn baby who weighs less than 5.5 pounds (2500 grams) at birth. This classification is based solely on birth weight and applies regardless of how long the pregnancy lasted (gestational age). These infants are at a higher risk for various health complications.

Usage

The term is used in medical, public health, and clinical contexts to categorize and describe newborns based on a critical health indicator: their weight at birth. * Medical professionals monitor a low-birth-weight infant closely for signs of distress. * The hospital has a specialized unit for the care of low-birth-weight infants. * A low-birth-weight infant may require assistance with feeding and maintaining body temperature.

Advanced Usage
  • Very low birth weight (VLBW): A sub-category for infants weighing less than 1500 grams (about 3.3 pounds).
  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW): A sub-category for infants weighing less than 1000 grams (about 2.2 pounds).
  • The condition is often discussed in relation to its causes (e.g., maternal nutrition, multiple births, preterm birth) and long-term developmental outcomes.
Variants and Related Words
  • Low birth weight (LBW): The adjective form used to describe the infant's condition (e.g., an LBW baby).
  • Premature infant / Preterm infant: An infant born before 37 weeks of gestation. This is a related but distinct concept; while many preterm infants have low birth weight, a low-birth-weight infant may also be born at term.
  • Small for gestational age (SGA): An infant whose birth weight is significantly below the expected norm for its specific gestational age. This term compares the infant to a growth standard.
Synonyms
  • LBW infant (Medical/Technical Abbreviation)
  • Low-weight newborn (Descriptive)
Related Phrases
  • At risk for: This phrase is commonly used with this term to describe potential complications.
    • A low-birth-weight infant is at risk for developing lack of oxygen during labor.
    • These infants are at increased risk for infections.
low-birth-weight infant

A newborn low-birth-weight infant sleeps in a hospital incubator.

Noun
  1. an infant born weighing less than 5.5 pounds (2500 grams) regardless of gestational age
    • a low-birth-weight infant is at risk for developing lack of oxygen during labor

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