1 research outputs found
National and regional estimates of term and preterm babies born small for gestational age in 138 low-income and middle-income countries in 2010
Background National estimates for the numbers of babies born small for gestational age and the comorbidity with
preterm birth are unavailable. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of term and preterm babies born small for
gestational age (term-SGA and preterm-SGA), and the relation to low birthweight (<2500 g), in 138 countries of low
and middle income in 2010.
Methods Small for gestational age was defi ned as lower than the 10th centile for fetal growth from the 1991 US national
reference population. Data from 22 birth cohort studies (14 low-income and middle-income countries) and from the
WHO Global Survey on Maternal and Perinatal Health (23 countries) were used to model the prevalence of term-SGA
births. Prevalence of preterm-SGA infants was calculated from meta-analyses.
Findings In 2010, an estimated 32路4 million infants were born small for gestational age in low-income and middleincome
countries (27% of livebirths), of whom 10路6 million infants were born at term and low birthweight. The
prevalence of term-SGA babies ranged from 5路3% of livebirths in east Asia to 41路5% in south Asia, and the prevalence
of preterm-SGA infants ranged from 1路2% in north Africa to 3路0% in southeast Asia. Of 18 million low-birthweight
babies, 59% were term-SGA and 41% were preterm. Two-thirds of small-for-gestational-age infants were born in Asia
(17路4 million in south Asia). Preterm-SGA babies totalled 2路8 million births in low-income and middle-income
countries. Most small-for-gestational-age infants were born in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
Interpretation The burden of small-for-gestational-age births is very high in countries of low and middle income and
is concentrated in south Asia. Implementation of eff ective interventions for babies born too small or too soon is an
urgent priority to increase survival and reduce disability, stunting, and non-communicable diseases.
Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by a grant to the US Fund for UNICEF to support the activities of the Child
Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG)