Low-birthweight babies in United States of America
United States of America: Low-birthweight babies was 8.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Low-birthweight babies in United States of America, 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.
Analysis
In 2020, low-birthweight babies in United States of America stood at 8.3%. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in United States of America peaked at 8.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2000.
That places United States of America 102nd out of 157 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.9% | — |
| 2001 | 7.9% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 7.9% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 8.1% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 8.2% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 8.2% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 8.2% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 8.2% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 8.2% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 8.2% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 8.2% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 8.3% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 8.1% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More health data for United States of America
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,069 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % 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 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in United States of America?
- Low-birthweight babies in United States of America was 8.3% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 8.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.9% in 2000.
- How does United States of America rank for low-birthweight babies?
- United States of America ranks 102nd out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America 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.