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Regardless of general progress in bringing down low birthweight numbers throughout India over the previous 30 years, charges stay stubbornly excessive in sure states, with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and West Bengal accounting for nearly half of all such births, finds analysis revealed in BMJ International Well being.
Low birthweight is vital, as a result of it typically alerts underlying maternal well being points and poor vitamin in addition to the kid’s future cognitive improvement and susceptibility to continual situations in later life, word the researchers.
Whereas some states have made speedy progress in bringing down the prevalence of low birthweight, others have discovered it tougher, they add.
To attempt to construct an correct image of progress throughout the nation over the previous 30 years, the researchers drew on information for girls and women aged 13 or 15 to 49 in 5 waves of the nationally consultant Nationwide Household Well being Survey spanning the interval 1992–3 to 2019–21. Low birthweight was outlined as lower than 2,500 g.
Of the whole 626,087 reside births throughout the examine interval, 165,073 (26.5%) newborns weren’t weighed and the data was lacking for 20,814 (simply over 3%); and 440,200 (simply over 70%) have been weighed. The scale of 614,428 (98%) was subjectively assessed by the mom.
The variety of recorded births rose from 48,959 in 1993 to 232,920 in 2021. And the proportion of those infants who have been weighed elevated over time, leading to 7,992 being included within the evaluation in 1993 (16%) to 209,266 in 2021 (90%).
The state-level common prevalence of low birthweight fell throughout the 5 surveys from 25% in 1993 and 1999; to twenty% in 2006; 17% in 2016; and 16% in 2021. And the general prevalence of low birthweight throughout India fell by 8 share factors from 26% in 1993 to 18% in 2021.
The best prevalence of low birthweight in 1993 was noticed in Rajasthan (48%) and Chhattisgarh (42%) whereas the bottom was noticed in Mizoram (6%) and Nagaland (11%).
In 2021, the best prevalence was noticed in Punjab (22%) and the union territory of Delhi (22%) whereas the bottom prevalence was noticed in Mizoram (4%), Nagaland (5%), and Manipur (7%).
The 2019–21 survey suggests that there have been 4.2 million low birthweight infants in a single yr in India. Simply 4 states—Uttar Pradesh (858,000), Bihar (430,000), Maharashtra (399,000), and West Bengal (318,000)—accounted for nearly half (47%) of all these births.
The figures counsel a level of convergence, the place states with better prevalence in 1992–93 skilled quicker falls.
The 2021 survey additionally indicated that in a single yr 2.5 million youngsters have been born smaller than common measurement, as assessed by their moms.
The biggest quantity have been born in the identical 4 states as these with a excessive prevalence of low birthweight: Uttar Pradesh (462,000); Bihar (318,000); Maharashtra (261,000); and West Bengal (208,000), accounting for 50% of such births.
For each low birthweight and smaller than average-sized infants, the 2021 survey confirmed that these youngsters have been significantly extra prone to be born to girls with little or no formal schooling and from the poorest households.
“Low birth weight is likely to be more prevalent among non-weighed children, since weighing correlates strongly with health care infrastructure and being born in a health facility. Also, low socioeconomic status is linked to both lack of access to health care and low birth weight,” clarify the researchers.
“The insights from data spanning nearly three decades shed light on both promising progress and enduring challenges. Our results point to a general decline in the prevalence of low birth weight and convergence between states over time,” they counsel.
“However, the levels and specific numbers should be interpreted with caution due to data quality issues, particularly low levels of recorded birthweight in the older surveys,” they warning.
They conclude, “Despite the overall progress, the persistence of high prevalence of low birth weight in certain states highlights the need for ongoing efforts to address maternal and neonatal health disparities. Despite improvements, data collection at health care facilities must also be further enhanced, to provide quality data for decision-making across India.”
Extra data:
Tendencies in low start weight throughout 36 states and union territories in India, 1993-2021, BMJ International Well being (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016732
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British Medical Journal
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Regardless of general progress, low birthweight charges nonetheless excessive in sure Indian states (2025, June 16)
retrieved 16 June 2025
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