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Global Prevalence of Small for Gestational Age Births

Robert E Black1

  • 1Institute for International Programs, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Nestle Nutrition Institute Workshop Series
|June 27, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Millions of babies are born small for gestational age (SGA), especially in South Asia and Africa. This condition significantly impacts infant health and development, necessitating better assessment using gestational age and birthweight data.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Global Child Health
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Fetal growth restriction, impacting preterm and full-term infants, leads to adverse outcomes in survival, health, growth, and development.
  • Small for gestational age (SGA) is defined as a newborn's weight below the 10th percentile for their gestational age.
  • SGA prevalence is notably higher than low-birthweight (<2,500g) births globally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the global burden of SGA births in low- and middle-income countries.
  • To highlight regional disparities in SGA prevalence.
  • To emphasize the importance of using gestational age alongside birthweight for accurate newborn risk assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Estimation of SGA births based on available data for low- and middle-income countries in 2010.
  • Comparison of SGA prevalence with low-birthweight prevalence.
  • Analysis of regional distribution of SGA births.

Main Results:

  • In 2010, an estimated 32.4 million babies were born SGA in low- and middle-income countries, representing 27% of all live births.
  • The highest prevalence of SGA is observed in South Asia and Sahelian Africa.
  • India reported the largest number of SGA births (12.8 million in 2010).

Conclusions:

  • SGA births present a significant global health challenge, particularly in South Asia and Africa.
  • The prevalence of SGA is substantially higher than previously indicated by low-birthweight data alone.
  • Maternal, neonatal, and child health programs must integrate gestational age assessment with birthweight to effectively manage SGA risks.

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