Newborn birth weight

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi An - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

1. Why should you measure your baby's height and weight?

When a baby is born, the height and weight are the basis that most clearly reflect the development of the child in the womb. Especially the birth weight is the most important factor. The birth weight of the baby contributes to the diagnosis of some diseases or predicts the child's risk later in life. For example, babies weighing more than 4kg are at risk of being born to mothers with gestational diabetes, and babies after birth are at risk of postpartum hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia after birth will lead to other phenomena such as respiratory failure, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, heart failure, hypothermia... In addition, the child also has risk factors later on such as obesity, Diabetes, cancer, etc. If a newborn's weight is considered low, there are many potential risks such as malnutrition, mental retardation, weak immune system, and susceptibility to infections. , increase the risk of depression, anxiety later, less intelligent than children with a standard weight. Weight helps to adjust the appropriate diet. Children's post-nutrition weight also helps predict the next birth for children. mother.

2. Some concepts of birth weight

The birth weight of newborns for full-term infants ranges from 2.9 - 3.8 kg, the average height is from 50 cm to 53 cm, the average head circumference of boys is 34.3 cm and girls. is 33.8cm. Children grow up day by day weight increase day by day. Weight gain for age is assessed as appropriate as follows: For infants under 6 months, the average gain per month should be at least 600 grams. Older than 6 months old, babies gain an average of 500 grams/month... In the second year of life, average baby weight increases from 2.5-3kg After 2 years, average weight increases by 2kg per year until old age. Puberty An infant is considered low birth weight when the birth weight is less than 2.5 kg. Children with low birth weight are at risk of respiratory diseases, risk of infection, affecting the development of the digestive system, nervous system, etc. Newborns are considered overweight when they are born. Newborn babies weighing more than 4 kg. Overweight children are at risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, ..

3. Causes of low birth weight babies

Babies born prematurely before the 37th week of pregnancy. The time in the mother's womb is not enough for the baby to develop fully, thus causing the baby to be underweight. Mothers carrying multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, quadruplets....) put their babies at risk of low birth weight. The mother used a lot of alcohol and stimulants during pregnancy. Using stimulants during pregnancy will seriously affect the fetus, affecting the normal development of the baby. Mother has preeclampsia. Preeclampsia reduces blood flow and nutrients to the placenta, leading to low birth weight babies. Intrauterine growth retardation syndrome. This is a condition in which the fetus does not develop in the uterus as it should, leading to a weight loss compared to other babies. There are many causes of this syndrome such as when the fetus does not receive enough nutrients, the mother's blood pressure is unstable, due to chromosomal abnormalities, the pregnant woman has a urinary tract infection. Gestational diabetes increases the risk of preterm birth and also causes low birth weight. Pregnancy infection. Pregnancy infections if not detected and treated promptly can cause various complications including low birth weight in babies. Knowing the causes of low birth weight babies will help pregnant women adjust and closely monitor the health of the pregnancy. Children born will meet the standards of development indicators.

4. Causes of overweight in babies

The leading cause identified when the infant is overweight is the mother has gestational diabetes. A mother with gestational diabetes causes the fetus to gain a lot of weight in the uterus. Especially in pregnant women who gain 15kg or more during pregnancy, they are more likely to have overweight babies. If parents are overweight or obese, children are also more likely to be overweight than children of normal weight parents. Pediatrics Department at Vinmec is one of the few multi-specialty hospitals with a full range of doctors specializing in neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, nutrition, psychology, endocrinology, and hepatobiliary care, helping to quickly and promptly handle the disease. detect diseases during the examination. As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health System, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All are well-trained, professional, with a mind - range, understanding young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

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