Low-birthweight babies in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Low-birthweight babies was 15.6% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Low-birthweight babies in Low & middle income, 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.
Analysis
Low & middle income recorded 15.6% for low-birthweight babies in 2020.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in Low & middle income peaked at 18.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 15.3%, in 2017.
Low & middle income ranks 8th of 31 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.0% | — |
| 2001 | 18.1% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 18.0% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 17.9% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 17.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 17.5% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 17.3% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 17.1% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 17.0% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 16.8% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 16.7% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 16.3% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 15.9% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 15.9% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 15.5% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 15.7% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 15.4% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 15.3% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 15.5% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 15.4% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 15.6% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.6% | 16.8% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.8% | 15.3% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
- 5 Liberia 19.9% compare
- 6 Nepal 19.7% compare
- 7 Guinea-Bissau 19.5% compare
- 8 Papua New Guinea 19.4% compare
- 9 Jordan 18.9% compare
- 10 Madagascar 18.7% compare
- 11 Mauritius 18.7% compare
More health data for Low & middle income
- Population ages 45-49, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 0.226 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per capita 0.0271 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0438 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, female, annual growth rate 0.1804 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per capita 0.0286 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in Low & middle income?
- Low-birthweight babies in Low & middle income was 15.6% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 18.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.3% in 2017.
- How does Low & middle income rank for low-birthweight babies?
- Low & middle income ranks 8th out of 31 groups with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.