Low Birthweight
Low Birthweight measures the number of births in the St. Louis region in which the newborn child weighs less than 2,500 grams. Low birthweight is associated with several increased health risks in infants as well as some long-term health issues. In 2016, over 23,700 children were born in the region (including the counties listed below), about 10% of whom were considered low birthweight.
Low Birthweight Indicator Scores
City of
St. Louis
St. Louis
County
St. Charles
County
St. Clair
County
Data Source: Missouri Resident Infant Profile, 2013-2017; Illinois Center for Health Statistics, 2016
What does this score mean?
A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.
For Low Birthweight, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean black and white children are equally likely to be born at a healthy weight. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.
WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?
Across the St. Louis region, black newborns are more likely than white newborns to have low birthweight (See Table 1). In both the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County and in St. Clair County, black newborns have low birthweight at a rate twice as high as white newborns or higher. In the City of St. Louis, 16.8% of black newborns compared to 7.8% of white newborns have low birthweight. In St. Louis County, 14.4% of black newborns compared to 6.7% of white newborns have low birthweight. In St. Clair County, 15.1% of black newborns compared to 7.1% of white newborns have low birthweight. For St. Charles County, the black newborns have low birthweight nearly twice as often as white children, with 14.2% of black newborns compared to 7.5% of white newborns.
Table 1: Percent of newborns born with low birthweight by race and county.
| County | Percent of Black Newborns | Percent of White Newborns |
|---|---|---|
| City of St. Louis | 16.8 | 7.8 |
| St. Clair County | 15.1 | 7.1 |
| St. Louis County | 14.4 | 6.7 |
| St. Charles County | 14.2 | 7.5 |
If the rate of low birthweight in the region were equitable, there would be approximately:
- 228 fewer black newborns with low birthweight in the City of St. Louis,
- 96 fewer black newborns with low birthweight in St. Clair County,
- 18 fewer black newborns with low birthweight in St. Charles County, and
- 280 fewer black newborns with low birthweight in St. Louis County.
WHY DOES Low Birthweight MATTER?
Advances in medical techniques have reduced many of the risks associated with low birthweight; however, these concerns have not been eradicated. Low birthweight babies can have greater difficulty feeding, breathing, fighting infection, and maintaining body temperature. In rarer cases, low birthweight babies are much more susceptible to respiratory problems, internal bleeding, and sudden infant death. In addition to these known complications occurring at birth, some research suggests that there are long-term effects associated with low birthweight, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, mild cognitive problems (Hack, et al 1995) and diseases associated with the arteries and kidneys (Reyer and Manalich, 2005). These risks are often exacerbated by low socioeconomic status.
The most common predictors of low birthweight include babies born if there have been any restrictions on fetal growth during pregnancy, during multiple births (twins, etc.), or during premature births. However, low birthweight is also more common in teenage pregnancies and in mothers who have inadequate prenatal care, have poor nutrition, or abuse drug or alcohol during pregnancy.
WHICH CALLS TO ACTION FROM THE FERGUSON COMMISSION’s REPORT ARE LINKED WITH THIS INDICATOR?
Calls to action designed to reduce child poverty include:
Questions for Further Investigation:
- Why is there a racial disparity in Low Birthweight?
- What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Low Birthweight?
- What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Low Birthweight?
How can I learn more about this issue?
Low Birthweight Data
Incidence of birthweight less than 2,500 grams
| Black | White | Disparity Ratio | Equity Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low Birthweight Count | 2,049 | 669 | |||
Low Birthweight Rate | 16.79 | 7.74 | 2.169 to 1 | 39 |
Data Source: Missouri Resident Infant Health Profile, 2013 – 2017
Incidence of birthweight less than 2,500 grams
| Black | White | Disparity Ratio | Equity Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low Birthweight Count | 2,740 | 2,295 | |||
Low Birthweight Rate | 14.39 | 6.68 | 2.154 to 1 | 39 |
Data Source: Missouri Resident Infant Health Profile, 2013 – 2017
Incidence of birthweight less than 2,500 grams
| Black | White | Disparity Ratio | Equity Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low Birthweight Count | 153 | 1,339 | |||
Low Birthweight Rate | 12.66 | 6.69 | 1.892 to 1 | 45 |
Data Source: Missouri Resident Infant Health Profile, 2013 – 2017
Incidence of birthweight less than 2,500 grams
| All | Black | White | Disparity Ratio | Equity Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low Birthweight Count | 336 | 192 | 136 | ||
Low Birthweight Rate | 10.4 | 15.1 | 7.5 | 2.01 to 1 | 40 |
Data Source: IDPH Illinois Center for Health Statistics, 2016