Effects of Low Birth Weight Babies on the Family and Community

Low Birth Weight Babies
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Describe the effect of extremely low birth weight babies on the family and community. Consider short-term and long-term impacts, socioeconomic implications, the need for ongoing care, and comorbidities associated with prematurity. Explain how disparities relative to ethnic and cultural groups may contribute to low birth weight babies. Identify one support service within your community to assist with preterm infants and their families and explain how the service adequately addresses the needs of the community, or a population in your community. Provide the link to the resource in your post
Impacts and socioeconomic implications
Low birth weight (LBW) is when a baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds and 8 ounces (2.5kg), while those less than 3 pounds and 5 ounces (1.5kg) are very low birth weight. Children born underweight have problems feeding, gain weight, and fighting infections. Children LBW are susceptible to various health problems we young and older, which implies they are likely to incur more health care costs, and since poor mothers tend to give birth o to LBW at higher rates they face challenges accessing health care services. Some of the problems for the babies are breathing problems, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), heart problems, jaundice and compromised immunity. There is higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, developmental disabilities, obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Socioeconomic disadvantage has a detrimental effect on cognitive functioning and overall health outcomes of the mothers and their children.
Disparities relative to ethnic and cultural groups
when considering the maternal socio-demographic variables such as pre-pregnancy maternal bod...