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Should the Definition of Low Birth Weight Be Same in Every Ethnicity Considering the DOHaD Concept?

Yoshifumi Kasuga1, Mamoru Tanaka1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, 5 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.

Pediatric Reports
|January 23, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Low birth weight (LBW) affects long-term health, yet definitions vary by country. This study suggests a universal LBW definition is needed for personalized healthcare and better risk prediction across ethnicities.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal health
  • Public health
  • Anthropometry

Background:

  • Low birth weight (LBW) is linked to immediate and future health issues.
  • Current LBW definitions are universal, disregarding ethnic and national variations.
  • Maternal height shows a negative correlation with LBW incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the implications of a single LBW definition across diverse populations.
  • To investigate the suitability of existing growth charts for different ethnicities.
  • To advocate for a standardized, ethnicity-independent LBW definition.

Main Methods:

  • Compilation of national birth weight data from multiple countries.
  • Comparative analysis of birth weight charts, including INTERGROWTH-21st and Japanese-specific charts.
  • Literature review on varying LBW cutoff values and their impact on perinatal outcome assessment.

Main Results:

  • Maternal height was found to be negatively correlated with LBW incidence.
  • The INTERGROWTH-21st chart may not accurately represent the Japanese population.
  • Discrepancies exist in LBW cutoff values used globally for perinatal risk assessment.

Conclusions:

  • A universal LBW definition independent of maternal country of origin is currently lacking.
  • The development of a standardized, ethnicity-inclusive LBW definition is crucial for personalized healthcare.
  • Further research is required to establish appropriate LBW cutoff values for diverse ethnic groups.

Keywords:
developmental origins of health and diseaseethnicitylow birth weightpregnancy

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