{"id":1205137,"name":"Low-birthweight babies (% of births)","unit":"% of births","createdAt":"2026-03-01T08:24:30.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-12T18:50:21.000Z","coverage":"","timespan":"2000-2020","datasetId":7396,"shortUnit":"%","columnOrder":0,"shortName":"sh_sta_brtw_zs","catalogPath":"grapher/worldbank_wdi/2026-02-27/wdi/wdi#sh_sta_brtw_zs","descriptionFromProducer":"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.\n\n### Aggregation method:\nWeighted average\n\n### Statistical concept and methodology:\nMethodology: Household Surveys including DHS, MICS and other national surveys\nStatistical concept(s): Low birthweight babies are more likely to die during their first month of life and those who survived face lifelong consequences including a higher risk of stunted growth, lower IQ ,and adult-onset chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes.\n\n### Development relevance:\nLow birth-weight, which is associated with maternal malnutrition, raises the risk of infant mortality and stunts growth in infancy and childhood. There is also emerging evidence that low-birth-weight babies are more prone to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Low birth-weight can arise as a result of a baby being born too soon or too small for gestational age. Babies born prematurely, who are also small for their gestational age, have the worst prognosis.\n\n\n\nIn low- and middle-income countries low birth-weight stems primarily from poor maternal health and nutrition. Three factors have the most impact: poor maternal nutritional status before conception, mother's short stature (due mostly to under-nutrition and infections during childhood), and poor nutrition during pregnancy (UNICEF Data, https://data.unicef.org/).","type":"float","dataChecksum":"8281593860977396318","metadataChecksum":"2069704699967504155","datasetName":"World Development Indicators","updatePeriodDays":365,"datasetVersion":"2026-02-27","nonRedistributable":false,"display":{"unit":"% of 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It includes over 1,500 indicators covering more than 200 countries and territories, with data spanning several decades.WDI serves as a vital resource for policymakers, researchers, businesses, and analysts seeking to understand global trends and make data-driven decisions. The database covers a wide range of topics, including economic growth, education, health, poverty, trade, energy, infrastructure, governance, and environmental sustainability.The indicators are sourced from reputable national and international agencies, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and comparable data. Users can access the database through interactive online tools, API services, and downloadable datasets, facilitating detailed analysis and visualization.WDI is also used for tracking progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other global development initiatives. By providing accessible and reliable statistics, it helps to inform policy discussions and strategies globally.Whether for academic research, policy planning, or economic analysis, the World Development Indicators database is an essential tool for understanding and addressing global development challenges.","producer":"UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank","citationFull":"UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), uri: data.unicef.org;\nWorld Health Organization (WHO), uri: data.unicef.org, note: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates. Indicator SH.STA.BRTW.ZS (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.BRTW.ZS). World Development Indicators - World Bank (2026). Accessed on 2026-02-27.","versionProducer":"125","urlMain":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.BRTW.ZS","urlDownload":"https://databankfiles.worldbank.org/public/ddpext_download/WDI_CSV.zip","dateAccessed":"2026-02-27","datePublished":"2026-01-28","license":{"url":"https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/search/dataset/0037712/World-Development-Indicators","name":"CC BY 4.0"}}]}