3. DEFINITION:-
“Any Neonate with a birth weight of
less than 2500 gm, irrespective of
the of gestational age is termed as
Low birth weight baby.”
4.
5. Mainly two types based on the origin:-
• <37 completed weeks of gestation.
• 1/3 cases of lbw
Types of LBW
6. • <10th centile for gestational age.
• 2/3 cases of lbw
• condition in which baby doesn’t grow to
normal weight during pregnancy ( due to
placenta abnormalities, High BP in mother
or infection and smoking / alcohol abuse in
mother )
Types of LBW
7. CAUSES
In nearly 50% of cases of LBW the cause is not
known.
In remaining 50% the causes are grouped into
a) Medical
b) social
8. CAUSES
a) Medical causes
1. Maternal causes : all high risk mothers except
Diabetics.
2. Placental causes : Placenta previa , Congenital
defects of placenta etc.
3. Fetal causes : Multiple gestation, Hydramnios,
intrauterine infections etc.
12. Care of LBW babies
Depends upon birth weight:-
1) 2500 – 2000 gm - Requires special care at
home
2) <2000 gm - Requires special care at hospital
3) <1500 gm & >1000 gm
- Requires kangaroo mother care and NICU care.
14. Other Management
1) MONITORING –
vital signs
Activity and behavior-
Skin color- pink, pale, yellow,
2) Thermal comfort-
Incubator should be available
Extremely lbw babies Are covered with thin transparent plastic sheet for
prevention of evaporation from skin.
3) Oxygen therapy-
oxygen should ne administered with head box when saturation is less than
85%.
15. Assignment
1) Define lbw baby. (2 marks)
2) Enlist causes of lbw baby. (3 marks)
3) Describe the management of lbw baby amd Write
down the nursing management of
Hyperbilirubinemia. (5 marks)
Submitted on : 10 th September
