Low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Low-birthweight babies was 8.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific, 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific is 8.5%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 8.8% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 2016.
That places East Asia & Pacific 19th out of 31 groups with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.7% | — |
| 2001 | 8.8% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 8.8% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 8.6% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 8.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 8.4% | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 8.1% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 8.3% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 8.0% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 8.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 8.2% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.2% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.7% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 16 Mozambique 17.8% compare
- 17 Senegal 17.2% compare
- 18 Guyana 17.2% compare
- 19 Botswana 16.8% compare
- 20 Lao People's Democratic Republic 16.7% compare
- 21 South Africa 16.6% compare
- 22 Suriname 16.5% compare
More health data for East Asia & Pacific
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0386 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 1.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0351 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 1.4 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0412 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific?
- Low-birthweight babies in East Asia & Pacific was 8.5% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 2003.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 2016.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for low-birthweight babies?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 19th out of 31 groups with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Low-birthweight babies (% of births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Low-birthweight babies are newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams, with the measurement taken within the first hour of life, before significant postnatal weight loss has occurred.