Low-birthweight babies in France

France: Low-birthweight babies was 7.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
7.4%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
111th
of 157 countries
All-time high
7.6%
in 2003
All-time low
7.4%
in 2020
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Low-birthweight babies in France, 2000–2020

024682000201020202000: 7.6 % of births2001: 7.6 % of births2002: 7.6 % of births2003: 7.6 % of births2004: 7.6 % of births2005: 7.6 % of births2006: 7.6 % of births2007: 7.6 % of births2008: 7.6 % of births2009: 7.5 % of births2010: 7.5 % of births2011: 7.5 % of births2012: 7.5 % of births2013: 7.5 % of births2014: 7.5 % of births2015: 7.5 % of births2016: 7.5 % of births2017: 7.5 % of births2018: 7.5 % of births2019: 7.4 % of births2020: 7.4 % of births

Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.

Analysis

In 2020, low-birthweight babies in France stood at 7.4%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in France peaked at 7.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 2020.

That places France 111th out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

Low-birthweight babies in France, year by year

Annual values for Low-birthweight babies (% of births) in France, 2000 to 2020.
Year % of births Change
2000 7.6%
2001 7.6% +0.1%
2002 7.6% +0.1%
2003 7.6% +0.1%
2004 7.6% -0.0%
2005 7.6% -0.1%
2006 7.6% -0.2%
2007 7.6% -0.1%
2008 7.6% -0.1%
2009 7.5% -0.0%
2010 7.5% -0.0%
2011 7.5% -0.0%
2012 7.5% -0.0%
2013 7.5% -0.1%
2014 7.5% -0.1%
2015 7.5% -0.1%
2016 7.5% -0.2%
2017 7.5% -0.3%
2018 7.5% -0.3%
2019 7.4% -0.2%
2020 7.4% -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 7.6% 7.5% 7.6% 10
2010s 7.5% 7.4% 7.5% 10
2020s 7.4% 7.4% 7.4% 1

Countries ranked near France

  1. 108 Czechia 7.6% compare
  2. 109 Peru 7.5% compare
  3. 110 Republic of Korea 7.5% compare
  4. 112 Georgia 7.4% compare
  5. 113 Fiji 7.4% compare
  6. 114 Argentina 7.4% compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More health data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is low-birthweight babies in France?
Low-birthweight babies in France was 7.4% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2003.
What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 2020.
How does France rank for low-birthweight babies?
France ranks 111th out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this France 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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Low-birthweight babies in France. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/low-birthweight-babies-percent-of-births/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Low-birthweight babies (% of births)
Unit
% of births
Source
UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
188 places, 3,948 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

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.