Low-birthweight babies in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Low-birthweight babies was 6.8% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Low-birthweight babies in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 6.8% for low-birthweight babies in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 7.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.8%, in 2020.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 121st out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.5% | — |
| 2001 | 7.5% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 7.5% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 7.4% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 7.3% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 7.3% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 7.3% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 7.2% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 7.2% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 7.2% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 7.1% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 7.0% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 6.9% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 6.9% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 6.9% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 6.8% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.4% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 6.9% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More health data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,134 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 461 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Low-birthweight babies in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 6.8% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 7.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.8% in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for low-birthweight babies?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 121st out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern 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.