Bblr in babies, from causes to prevention

Not all babies are born with normal weight. There are babies who are born with a low birth weight condition or called LBW. So, is this condition dangerous and how can you prevent it? Here's the full review.

What is LBW?

Low Birth Weight (LBW) is a condition when the weight of a newborn baby falls below its normal range.

Shortly after birth, the length or height and weight of the baby will be measured and weighed.

A baby's body weight is considered normal if it is in the range of 2,500 grams (gr) or 2.5 kilograms (kg) to 3,500 grams or 3.5 kg.

If a newborn baby weighs more than 4,000 grams or 4 kg, this is a sign that the baby is considered large.

Meanwhile, if your child at birth weighs less than 2,500 grams, it means that he is experiencing low birth weight (LBW).

The results of measuring the baby's weight apply to babies born at normal gestational age, which is around 37-42 weeks.

However, normal weight does not apply to babies born earlier than expected or premature.

Premature babies are usually born before 37 weeks of gestation.

That is why, the weight of babies born prematurely tends to be lower than the normal weight of babies in general or under 2.5 kg.

LBW grouping

According to the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI), there are several groups of babies based on birth weight below normal.

The following is the grouping of LBW:

Low birth weight (LBW) in infants: BW less than 2,500 grams or 2.5 kg.
Very low birth weight (LBW) in infants: BW between 1,000 g or 1 kg and less than 1,500 g or 1.5 kg.
Very very low birth weight (LBW) in infants: weight less than 1,000 grams or 1 kg.

Most cases of low birth weight (LBW) are experienced by premature babies.

However, babies born at normal gestational age but body weight below the average range, can also be said to have LBW.

What are the signs of LBW in babies?

There are several signs that a baby is underweight:

Body weight that is less than 2.5 kg when weighed
Physical body looks much smaller than a newborn with normal weight
The size of a baby's head is usually out of proportion to his body

The baby's body also looks thin because of the small body fat stores.

Even if you pay attention, preterm babies and babies who are not born with low birth weight have a difference.

Babies born at normal gestational age but experiencing low birth weight are usually physically mature.

It's just that, their body condition tends to be weaker and thinner than other babies.

Meanwhile, premature babies who have low birth weight generally have a very small body size and are not too mature physically.

What causes LBW?

There are several causes that make babies born with low birth weight (LBW), namely:

Maternal nutritional status before pregnancy

The nutritional status of pregnant women determines the intake that the baby gets in the womb. Adequacy of nutritional status before pregnancy was assessed using body mass index (BMI).

This is because the nutritional status before and during pregnancy has a major effect on the intake and growth of the baby in the womb.

Women with a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 or classified as thin during pregnancy are at risk of giving birth to babies with low birth weight.

On the other hand, insufficient energy and protein intake for pregnant women can also result in chronic energy deficiency (KEK).

KEK did not occur in a short time, but had begun to form for quite a while.

Pregnant women or a woman who is not pregnant are at risk of experiencing KEK if the circumference of the upper arm (LILA) is less than 23.5 centimeters (cm).

A woman or pregnant woman with KEK can cause a baby to be born with low weight (LBW).

Maternal weight when pregnant

Increased intake to meet the needs of the baby will definitely have an impact on the mother's weight gain during pregnancy.

Maternal weight gain ranges from 5 kg to 18 kg which is adjusted to the nutritional status before pregnancy.

Gaining too little weight increases the risk of a low birth weight baby.

This is evidenced by research conducted by Frederik and his colleagues which found that weight gain for pregnant women has a positive relationship with birth weight.

The greater the increase in body weight of pregnant women, the higher the weight of the baby at birth.

Maternal age at pregnancy

Low birth weight babies (LBW) are generally found in mothers who become pregnant during adolescence.

The body of a teenager woman is not ready to experience pregnancy, this can also be due to adequate nutrition at that age.

Teenage pregnancy most often occurs at the age of 15-19 years.

As a result, the risk of giving birth to a low birth weight baby is 50 percent higher than the normal age for pregnancy, or around 20-29 years.

Maternal health condition

Maternal health while undergoing pregnancy and medical history before can contribute to LBW.

Not only physical health problems, but also psychological health

Here are some maternal health problems that can cause low birth weight babies (LBW):

Anemia
History of miscarriage and childbirth LBW
Infectious Diseases (HIV, toxoplasmosis and listeria)
Pregnancy complications
Pregnancy blues (hormonal disturbances cause constant sadness during pregnancy)
Exposure to alcohol and cigarette smoke during pregnancy (passive or active)

Consumption of alcohol and cigarettes causes toxins to enter the bloodstream of pregnant women and can damage the placenta.

This can cause damage to the source of nutrition for the baby in the womb.

Premature birth

As previously explained, low birth weight (LBW) is caused by preterm birth.

Compared with babies born to full age, premature babies have less time to grow and develop in the mother's womb.

In fact, the third trimester or the end of pregnancy is also an important period for the development of the baby's body, one of which is to increase weight and height.

Lack of oxygen, food, and nutrient intake will limit growth and development in the womb.

IUGR

Another cause of babies born with low body weight, namely intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

IUGR is a disorder that hinders the development of the baby in the womb.

IUGR can occur due to problems with the placenta and the health conditions of the mother and baby.

Babies who experience IUGR can be born prematurely or according to a normal gestational age, which is in the range of 37-42 weeks.

However, usually preterm and full-term babies who experience IUGR have different physical conditions.

Low weight in newborns can also be caused by complications during pregnancy.

How do you diagnose a LBW baby?

Routine check-ups during pregnancy will help the doctor to diagnose the health condition of you and your baby.

Apart from making sure your weight gain is stable, the doctor can check the baby's size from the fundal height.

Fundus height is the top of the uterus. Fundal height measurement starts from the top of the pubic bone or vagina, up to the top of the uterus in centimeters (cm).

After entering the 20th week of pregnancy, the results of measuring fundal height should ideally be in the range of your gestational age.

For example, if you are currently 25 weeks pregnant, it means that your fundal height should be in the range of 25 cm.

If the fundal height is less than it should be, there is a possibility that the growth and development of the baby in the womb is not going well.

Doctors can also use the ultrasound method (USG) to check the baby's development while in the womb.

Rather than measuring fundal height, the ultrasound method is more accurate to help estimate the baby's weight.

Ultrasound measurements usually include the baby's head, stomach and thighbone.

It doesn't stop there. After birth, the baby will be weighed immediately to determine the possibility of experiencing a low weight.

If the weighing results show that the baby weighs less than 2.5 kg, the doctor will diagnose a low birth weight.

How is the treatment for LBW babies?

Treatment for low birth weight newborns varies depending on several things.

This includes gestational age at birth, health conditions, symptoms experienced by the baby, and the baby's body tolerance to certain medications and medical procedures.

Intensive care in the hospital

Usually, babies born prematurely with low birth weight need special care for preterm babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Here, babies born with low birth weight will always be closely monitored and cared for by doctors and the medical team.

In fact, the temperature of the bed and feeding the baby will always be adjusted in such a way as to improve their health condition.

Meanwhile, babies born at full term but experiencing LBW, can be treated in a special baby care unit. Baby feeding can be done in a special way.

If the baby has difficulty sucking, food can be given using a tube that is passed directly into the stomach.

Babies can also eat through an intravenous or intravenous tube that is drained into a vein.

The length of time for this treatment is uncertain. Care at least until the baby is growing and in good enough health to take home.

Breastfeeding

The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommends that babies born with low body weight be breastfed.

Especially if it is possible for you to breastfeed and the baby can receive exclusive breastfeeding from the very beginning.

Breastfeeding for low birth weight babies is beneficial to increase body growth and gain weight.

The rules of breastfeeding for babies with low birth weight are for 6 months, aka exclusive breastfeeding.

Meanwhile, for mothers who cannot breastfeed their babies with low birth weight for one reason or another, babies can be given breast milk donors, according to WHO.

Formula feeding can be a last resort if babies with low birth weight cannot be given breast milk from mothers or breastfeeding donors.

If the baby's weight is classified as very low (LBW) or very very low (BBLASR), of course the length of time and treatment needed for recovery will be longer and a lot.

Skin to skin contact

Babies born with low birth weight tend to have difficulty maintaining body temperature so their bodies tend to have cold temperatures.

This is because it has a thin layer of fat so it is easy to cause hypothermia.

In order for LBW babies to get fat quickly, WHO advises mothers of babies to make contact with babies as often as possible by holding babies using the kangaroo method. This makes it easier to monitor changes in the baby's health and breastfeeding.

Monitor baby's health

Perform supervision on the baby regularly by paying attention to the baby's skin surface, breathing, and body temperature.

The following are symptoms to watch out for in low birth weight babies and immediately consult a doctor:

Yellow babies, there is a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes
Shortness of breath or irregular breathing
Fever
The baby looks limp and doesn't want to breastfeed

If your little one experiences the above, contact your doctor immediately.

Avoid transmission of infectious diseases

Transmission of diseases such as flu, diarrhea and pneumonia are the infections most frequently experienced by infants and the impact will be more severe in infants with low birth weight.

Prevention efforts can be done by maintaining personal hygiene, cleanliness of the home environment, and cleanliness of baby equipment.

Special diseases that can be transmitted through droplet such as tuberculosis and influenza, keep your baby away and minimize contact with sufferers.

This is because the surface of objects and air contaminated with germs will very easily transmit disease to babies.

What are the complications of babies with LBW?

In general, babies born with low birth weight (LBW) have a higher risk of experiencing various health complications than other babies.

Here are the various risks of other complications that can occur in babies with low birth weight:

Disorders of the digestive system (gastrointestinal), such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or digestive system infections in LBW babies
Disorders of the nervous system (neurological), such as intreventicular bleeding or within the brain
Impaired vision and hearing function
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or sudden infant death syndrome
Weak immune system
Susceptible to infectious diseases
There is a risk of stunting if it is not handled properly

Babies born with low birth weight often have difficulty eating and have difficulty gaining weight.

The lower your baby's birth weight, the greater the risk of complications that may occur.

Can LBW in babies be prevented?

Before it actually happens, prevention is the best measure to prevent babies born with low birth weight.

One of the keys is adequate intake of nutrients from the mother before and during pregnancy.

That way, the mother's nutritional status will also be classified as good. In addition, regular check-ups during pregnancy are no less important to prevent low birth weight.

The reason is, during the examination, the doctor will always pay attention to the health condition of the mother and baby in the womb.

This includes monitoring the development of the mother's body weight which contributes to the development of the baby.

You are also advised to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking illegal drugs.