Health
Low Birth Weight Babies

Using the charts: Items in the legend below the chart can be clicked on and off to aid in analysis. The chart can also be printed or exported as an image or document using the menu at the top right.


Low Birth Weight Babies

What does this measure?

The proportion of babies born with low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams or about 5.5 pounds) out of all live births.

Why is this important?

Low birth weight is a leading predictor of neonatal death. Low birth-weight infants are also more likely than normal birth-weight infants to experience long-term developmental and neurological disabilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that maternal smoking is the cause of 20% to 30% of all low-weight births in the United States.

How is the region performing?

The proportion of babies with low birth weight in the region has remained fairly steady from 2000 to 2019 between 6.4% and 7.8%. The rate increased slightly from 2018 to 2019 (from 6.7% to 7.4%) and is lower than the peak of 7.8% in 2014. The region's rates have typically been lower than statewide rates (excluding NYC). Of the region's counties, Sullivan had the highest rate in 2019 (9.4%) while Putnam had the lowest (5.5%) followed by Columbia (6.3%). Among local areas for which data were available, the Village of Kiryas Joel had the lowest rate at 4.9% in 2019, while City of Newburgh (10.6%) had the highest rate.

Notes about the data

Rates based upon small numbers in some of the geographies can vary widely, making it difficult to distinguish true changes from random fluctuations.

Low Birth Weight Babies
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Region6.5%6.4%6.6%6.5%7.2%7.8%7.4%7.2%7.8%7.3%7.1%7.4%7.3%7.3%7.8%7.0%7.2%6.9%6.7%7.4%
Columbia County7.3%6.9%6.2%6.9%8.5%7.0%7.4%7.7%8.3%9.4%6.2%7.5%7.9%6.1%8.1%5.7%3.9%6.5%6.4%6.3%
Dutchess County6.6%6.1%7.0%6.7%6.3%7.5%7.6%7.1%7.2%7.1%6.6%7.5%7.0%7.3%8.6%7.3%7.2%8.1%6.9%7.4%
Greene County7.9%7.7%5.9%6.3%7.4%12.1%5.9%13.1%9.3%10.0%9.5%8.4%8.5%6.2%8.8%6.6%8.7%7.8%6.2%8.6%
Orange County6.6%6.0%6.1%6.4%7.0%7.7%6.7%6.8%7.5%7.1%6.4%7.4%7.4%7.3%6.9%6.4%7.3%6.2%6.6%7.1%
Putnam County5.9%6.7%7.2%5.9%7.0%7.5%8.3%7.1%9.3%6.7%8.4%7.2%9.4%7.5%8.1%7.1%7.2%6.6%7.0%5.5%
Sullivan County6.6%7.1%6.7%8.0%7.3%7.8%9.7%8.3%9.3%8.5%10.1%9.5%8.3%9.0%9.0%9.8%7.7%7.3%6.7%9.4%
Ulster County6.2%6.9%6.9%5.7%8.5%8.3%8.1%6.7%7.8%6.7%7.3%5.9%5.4%7.0%7.9%7.1%7.1%7.4%7.1%8.5%
NYS (excluding NYC)7.3%7.0%7.5%7.4%7.6%7.7%7.9%7.7%7.6%7.7%7.7%7.8%7.5%7.5%7.7%7.5%7.6%7.7%7.7%7.7%
U.S.7.6%7.7%7.8%7.9%8.1%8.2%8.3%8.2%8.2%8.2%8.1%8.1%8.0%8.0%8.0%8.1%8.2%8.3%8.3%8.3%
Dutchess Cities
Beacon7.5%6.3%3.4%6.8%4.9%9.3%8.7%7.7%7.8%6.8%2.3%6.7%8.6%10.0%
Poughkeepsie7.6%9.0%9.4%8.3%9.6%8.6%9.4%9.5%7.9%11.3%9.5%9.5%7.6%9.3%
Orange Cities
Middletown9.5%7.2%7.9%10.3%6.3%10.0%9.0%9.3%8.7%7.3%8.0%7.4%9.3%8.9%
Newburgh8.5%7.3%8.8%8.5%8.3%7.7%10.0%8.0%11.1%6.6%7.8%8.0%8.5%10.6%
Orange Villages
Kiryas Joel3.1%4.7%5.4%4.5%5.5%5.5%3.4%3.7%5.1%4.5%4.5%2.2%3.8%4.9%
WoodburyN/AN/AN/AN/A2.9%7.3%3.8%9.4%
Ulster Cities
Kingston8.3%5.8%8.0%8.3%10.1%3.8%6.7%8.6%8.9%6.9%8.2%8.1%6.8%7.7%

Source: New York State Department of Health
Notes: The benchmark for low birth weight is 2500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds.




Number of Low Birth Weight Babies
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Region8648308598709481,0269989621,029908879875861841897800823808791886
Columbia County4841374450434445515337414233403020333030
Dutchess County220197224221199238231218211207190200190190231190181211176201
Greene County3832272833552660414444363526352532302731
Orange County322295308331367396365362404357322360351346333308358315333369
Putnam County7080866982788674926078627860675859535944
Sullivan County5560537361689479897384777975717866585782
Ulster County1111251241041561481521241411141249986111120111107108109129
NYS (excluding NYC)10,0869,3909,9009,8229,9109,93310,23810,0059,7529,6409,4959,4099,0698,9729,2608,9659,0439,0788,9918,947
U.S.307,030308,747314,077324,064331,772338,565351,974354,333347,209336,747325,563319,711315,709315,099318,847320,869321,839318,873313,752311,245
Dutchess Cities
Beacon121161171415121210391314
Poughkeepsie3948474352444445364938413243
Orange Cities
Middletown4840425230464140323030293634
Newburgh5646595949435144513239383743
Orange Villages
Kiryas Joel1736433345463033545154264768
Woodbury000039410
Ulster Cities
Kingston2922282733122225272125231820

Source: New York State Department of Health
Notes: The benchmark for low birth weight is 2500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds.




INDICATORS TREND | STATE


Loading...