Low Birth Weight

Low Birth Weight

 Infants weighing under 2500 g

 Low birth weight (LBW) is a term used to describe

babies who are born weighing less than 2500 grams

 Babies with a birth weight of less than 2500gm

irrespective of the period of their gestation are

classified as low birth weight babies.

 Average newborn weighs 2.5-3.5Kg

 Classification:
According to Severity:
1. Very-Low-Birth-Weight ( VLB) –
1000g to 1500g
2. Extremely very-low-birth-weight
(EVLB) - 500g to 1000g
3. Low Birth Weight (LBW) - < 2500g
 Case Scenario
Rihanna is a teenage mother (G1 P1 T1 P0 A0 L1), who just recently born a 36
weeks Baby Girl 2 days ago, admitted to the nursery with complaining of
respiratory distress associated with fever. When she was pregnant she used to eat
hotdogs and other process foods because her family cannot afford to buy such
nutritious foods. She got cough and fever during her 6 months of pregnancy. She
didn’t consult her doctor regarding her illness so, she just took a paracetamol to
get away from a diseases. Her prenatal check up was irregular because the health
center is too far from her house. She is not smoking nor drinking alcohol. The father
of her child is also a teenager and still studying in public high school.

Baby Girl birth weight is 2.2kg, APGAR score: 6/10. 7/10. Head Circumference:
28cm ; Chest Circumference: 27cm; Birth length 45cm. Vital Signs Taken as follows:
RR:83bpm; PR: 115bpm; Temp: 38.5°C.
Assessment Diagnosis Planning Intervention Rationale Evaluation
Subjective: N/A Infective After 1-2 hour 1. Assess the 1. To collect After 1-2 hour of
breathing of nursing vital signs the baseline nursing
Objective: pattern interventions every 30 data interventions
related to the patient minutes: 2. To provide breathing pattern
underdevelop breathing pulse, oxygen was improved to
BW: 2.2kg ed body pattern will be respirations adequately. some extent
HC: 28cm systems at improved and 3. To straighten
CC: 27cm birth temperature. the airway
BL: 45cm 2. Oxygen at
the rate of
V/S: 2ml/hr given
RR: 83bpm by the
PR: 115bpm oxygen hood
Temp: 38.5 °C 3. Place a
towel below
- Nasal Flaring the shoulder
- Grunting to extend the
- -Tachypnea head end
Assessment Diagnosis Planning Intervention Rationale Evaluation
Subjective: N/A Risk for After 1-3 hour 1. Assess for 1. To find early After 1-3 hour of
infection of nursing signs of signs of nursing
Objective: related to interventions infection infection. interventions the
immunological the patient 2. Perform 2. Action taken patient
defense temperature insulation to minimize temperature is
BW: 2.2kg ineffective will subside to another the already subside
HC: 28cm normal and baby occurrence from 38.5 °C to37.4
CC: 27cm there are no suffering from of infection °C and there are
BL: 45cm signs of an infection wider. no signs of
infection. at the 3. To prevent infection
V/S: discretion of infection.
RR: 83bpm institutions. 4. To prevent
PR: 115bpm 3. Before and infection
Temp: 38.5 °C after persists in
handling the infants
- Nasal Flaring baby do
- Grunting handwashin
- -Tachypnea g.
4. Make sure all
equipment is
in contact
with the
baby clean