Low birthweight is defined as less than 2500 grams or 5 1/2 pounds. It is also common to classify low birthweight births into moderately low birthweight (1500-2499 grams) and very low birthweight (less than 1500 grams or 3 1/3 pounds). These classifications are useful because they often correspond to clinical characteristics - increasing morbidities or illnesses with decreasing birthweight. Babies born too small are often born too soon. While the causes of low birthweight and preterm birth may be different in some cases, there is significant overlap within these populations of infants.
Last updated:
January 2022
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In 2022, 1 in 12 babies (8.4% of live births) was low birthweight in Virginia.
Black infants (13.7%) were about 2 times as likely as White infants (6.6%) to be born low birthweight during 2020-2022 (average)
Compared with singleton births, multiple births in Virginia were about 8 times as likely to be low birthweight in 2022.
Notes: Very low birthweight is less than 1500 grams (3 1/3 pounds).
Sources: National Center for Health Statistics, final natality data. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from www.marchofdimes.org/peristats.
During 2020-2022 (average), the very low birthweight rate in Virginia was highest for black infants (2.7%), followed by Asian/Pacific Islanders (1.3%), Whites (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Natives (1.0%).
Black infants (2.7%) were about 3 times as likely as American Indian/Alaska Native infants (1.0%) to be born very low birthweight during 2020-2022 (average).