Low-birthweight babies in Ireland
Ireland: Low-birthweight babies was 5.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Low-birthweight babies in Ireland, 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 Ireland is 5.6%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in Ireland peaked at 5.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.8%, in 2000.
That places Ireland 140th out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.8% | — |
| 2001 | 4.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 4.9% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 4.9% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 5.1% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 5.3% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 5.3% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 5.5% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 5.5% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 5.5% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 5.5% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 5.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 5.6% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 137 Uzbekistan 5.8% compare
- 138 Ukraine 5.7% compare
- 139 Netherlands 5.7% compare
- 141 Poland 5.6% compare
- 142 Kazakhstan 5.3% compare
- 143 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.2% compare
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,122 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate -2.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0361 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 3.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0391 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in Ireland?
- Low-birthweight babies in Ireland was 5.6% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 2000.
- How does Ireland rank for low-birthweight babies?
- Ireland ranks 140th out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.