Pregnant women need to know that things that happen during pregnancy can cause babies to be born with low birth weight.
All mothers in the world want their babies to be born healthy. The first thing that is of most concern is the weight of the baby at birth. The heavier a baby is born, the more excited and happy the mother feels. However, if a baby is born with low birth weight, ''it can become a concern for the whole family.''
So what is the weight of an infant considered low? Normally, new born babies weighing less than 2.5kg are considered low weight. ''And if the baby's weight is less than 1kg'', it is classified as extremely low. Infants born with a very low birth weight are at increased risk of respiratory, infectious, digestive and even neurological problems.
Low birth weight babies can make adults worry (Artwork).
''Here are 7 causes of low birth weight babies have been suggested by experts after research and discussion:''
1. Premature birth.
If a baby is born before the start of the 37th week of pregnancy, it is called preterm. In this case, the baby hasn't been in the womb long enough to fully develop and the baby hasn't reached the average birth'' weight either''.
2. Mother gives birth to many children at once.
''Mothers giving birth to many children at once can cause babies to be born with low birth weight because they have to share nutrients with siblings (Artwork).''
Newborns may not have enough minimum weight when the mother gives birth to twins , triplets, quadruplets, or more in one go. This happens because when there are too many babies in the womb, the pressure on the mother's uterus is more and the ''babies'' have to share nutrition with each other. As a result, babies are born with a low birth weight.
3. Mom drinks a lot.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is extremely ''harmful to the baby''. When the mother drinks alcohol, chemicals are passed into the fetus and can reduce the oxygen supply to the newborn and can lead to growth inhibition of the baby.
4. Endocrine Growth Restriction (IUGR).
A mother with IUGR syndrome can give birth to a baby with a low birth weight (Artwork)
IUGR is a condition in which the fetus is not growing to its full extent, but is smaller. So, if a baby is born on the right day and still has a low body weight, it could be because the baby has IUGR. IUGR has 2 types: ''symmetric and asymmetrical. Asymmetric IUGR mainly occurs due to undernutrition and high blood pressure during pregnancy''. Meanwhile, symmetric IUGR is caused by several chromosomal abnormalities, urinary tract infections, and maternal lifestyle factors.
5. Diabetes.
Maternal diabetes during pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm birth and lead to low birth weight babies. However, gestational diabetes can still be easily treated with appropriate exercise combined with diet and medication. It is important for mothers to make appropriate lifestyle changes according to the requirements of pregnancy
6. Epilepsy.
Seizures occur when a pregnant mother has high blood pressure and this can lead to kidney damage. ''This is like other cases during pregnancy, it affects the placenta to not supply enough blood and nutrients to the newborn baby causing low birth weight .''
Mothers having epilepsy during pregnancy can also give birth to babies with substandard weight (Illustration image)
7. Infection.
A pregnant mother may be more susceptible to infections due to a weakened immune system. If these infections are not detected and treated in time it can cause various complications at birth and one of these complications is the low birth weight of the baby.
Given the worrisome effects of low birth weight babies , what you need to do is avoid these causes of low birth weight and follow your ''doctor's'' instructions in this regard. throughout your pregnancy so that you can give birth to a large and healthy baby.
