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This report examines the percentage of low birth weight babies born by Vermont resident mothers (regardless of the place of birth) statewide and at the county-level by year.

Low birth weight babies (weighing less than 2,500 grams/5.5 pounds) are more likely than babies with normal weight to have health problems as a newborn. They also have a higher risk of chronic health conditions later in life, like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. Low birth weight babies are at a greater risk for delays or disruptions in development and are associated with early delivery, mothers with chronic health conditions, not gaining enough weight in pregnancy, and problems with the placenta. 


Birth data in this report are Vermont resident births, regardless of whether the birth occured in or outside of Vermont. Low birth weight babies were defined as those weighing less than 2,500 grams (5.5 pounds). State-level data were aggregated by year while county-level data were averaged by discrete three-year periods to account for data that may fluctuate greatly from year to year, thus maximizing reliability.


Low birth weight percentages were calculated using the following formula:

([Low Birth Weight Count for the Year] / [Live Birth Count with Birth Weight Data for the Year]) * 100

Average low birth weight percentages were calculated using the following formula:

([Average Low Birth Weight Count during the Three-Year Period] / [Average Live Birth Count with Birth Weight Data during the Three-Year Period]) * 100
