"Short gestation and LBW [Low Birth Weight] are among the leading causes of neonatal death, accounting for 20 percent of neonatal deaths. In 1998, [U.S. wide] a total of 11.6 percent of births were preterm, and 7.6 percent were LBW. [Ventura, S.J.; Martin, J.A.; Curtin, S.C.; et al. Births: Final data for 1997. National Vital Statistics Report 48(3), 2000.] Included in these statistics were VLBW [Very Low Birth Weight] infants weighing less than 1,500 grams (3.3 pounds).

LBW is associated with long-term disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, autism, mental retardation, vision and hearing impairments, and other developmental disabilities. [...] Despite the low proportion of pregnancies resulting in LBW babies, expenditures for the care of LBW infants total more than half of the costs incurred for all newborns. In 1988, the cost of a normal, healthy delivery averaged $1,900, whereas hospital costs for LBW infants averaged $6,200. [Lewit, E.M.; Baker, L.S.; Hope, C.; et al. The direct cost of low birth weight. Future Child 5(1):35-56, 1995.]"

The following table shows the Healthy People 2010 Objective for the birth weight outcomes:

Birth Weight Outcome	2010 Objective
Low Birth Weight	5.0
Very Low Birth Weight	0.9
Source: http://web.health.gov/healthypeople/Document/HTML/Volume2/16MICH.htm

The California County Profile Reports include information on low birth weight and very low birth weight births.

Definitions

A baby is defined as having a low birth weight if its weight is less than 2,500 grams at delivery. For the compilation of the California County Profile Reports babies with birth weights less than 500 grams were excluded.

A baby is defined as having very low birth weight if its weight is less than 1,500 grams at delivery. Note that very low birth weight births are by definition also low birth weight births and counted in both birth weight measures. For the compilation of the California County Profile Reports babies with birth weights less than 500 grams were excluded.

Tables and Figures

Number and Percent of Low Birth Weight Infants by Race/Ethnicity, California and Amador County, 2004

Race/Ethnicity	Amador County		California
Race/Ethnicity	N	%	N	%
Hispanic	3	8.1	17,182	6.2
Non-Hispanic White	10	4.8	9,962	6.2
Non-Hispanic Black	0	N/A	3,530	12.3
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander	0	0.0	4,709	7.3
Non-Hispanic Other Race	0	0.0	1,991	10.9
All	13	5.0	37,374	6.8