Low-birthweight babies in OECD members

OECD members: Low-birthweight babies was 8.7% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
8.7%
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
18th
of 31 groups
All-time high
8.7%
in 2002
All-time low
8.7%
in 2007
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Low-birthweight babies in OECD members, 2000–2020

024682000201020202000: 8.7 % of births2001: 8.7 % of births2002: 8.7 % of births2003: 8.7 % of births2004: 8.7 % of births2005: 8.7 % of births2006: 8.7 % of births2007: 8.7 % of births2008: 8.7 % of births2009: 8.7 % of births2010: 8.7 % of births2011: 8.7 % of births2012: 8.7 % of births2013: 8.7 % of births2014: 8.7 % of births2015: 8.7 % of births2016: 8.7 % of births2017: 8.7 % of births2018: 8.7 % of births2019: 8.7 % of births2020: 8.7 % of births

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 OECD members is 8.7%, measured in 2020.

That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in OECD members peaked at 8.7% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 2007.

OECD members ranks 18th of 31 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Low-birthweight babies in OECD members, year by year

Annual values for Low-birthweight babies (% of births) in OECD members, 2000 to 2020.
Year % of births Change
2000 8.7%
2001 8.7% +0.3%
2002 8.7% +0.0%
2003 8.7% -0.2%
2004 8.7% -0.0%
2005 8.7% -0.1%
2006 8.7% -0.1%
2007 8.7% -0.3%
2008 8.7% +0.1%
2009 8.7% +0.1%
2010 8.7% +0.0%
2011 8.7% +0.2%
2012 8.7% +0.1%
2013 8.7% +0.2%
2014 8.7% -0.0%
2015 8.7% -0.2%
2016 8.7% -0.3%
2017 8.7% +0.0%
2018 8.7% -0.0%
2019 8.7% -0.1%
2020 8.7% +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8.7% 8.7% 8.7% 10
2010s 8.7% 8.7% 8.7% 10
2020s 8.7% 8.7% 8.7% 1

Countries ranked near OECD members

  1. 15 Sri Lanka 18.0% compare
  2. 16 Mozambique 17.8% compare
  3. 17 Senegal 17.2% compare
  4. 18 Guyana 17.2% compare
  5. 19 Botswana 16.8% compare
  6. 20 Lao People's Democratic Republic 16.7% compare
  7. 21 South Africa 16.6% compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More health data for OECD members

All data for OECD members →

Frequently asked questions

What is low-birthweight babies in OECD members?
Low-birthweight babies in OECD members was 8.7% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in OECD members?
The highest recorded value was 8.7% in 2002.
What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in OECD members?
The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 2007.
How does OECD members rank for low-birthweight babies?
OECD members ranks 18th out of 31 groups with data for 2020.
Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in OECD members?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this OECD members 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 OECD members. 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/oecd-members/

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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.