Children & Youth
Babies Born with Low Birth Weights
Increasing
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Source: New York State Department of Health
What does this measure?
The number of babies born with low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams or about 5.5 pounds) expressed as a percentage 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 our region performing?
In 2017, 8.2% of babies in the 9-county region had low birth weights, similar to the statewide rate. Monroe (9.3%), Orleans (7.3%), and Wayne (7.5%) had the highest rates in the region in 2017. Other surrounding counties had lower rates, with the lowest in Seneca and Yates at 3.5% and 4.1% respectively. The City of Rochester consistently had the highest rates of low birth-weight babies in the region, averaging 11% of births since 2000.
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
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 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% |
| NYS | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.2% | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.1% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.1% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 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% |
| Region | 7.1% | 6.3% | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.3% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.5% | 7.1% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 7.4% | 7.8% | 7.6% | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| Monroe | 7.7% | 6.9% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 7.7% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.0% | 8.1% | 8.6% | 8.5% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% | 8.3% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 9.3% |
| Surrounding Counties | 6.1% | 5.2% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 6.6% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 6.5% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 6.4% | 6.1% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 6.3% |
| Genesee | 5.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 4.9% | 5.8% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.2% | 5.5% | 6.7% |
| Livingston | 5.7% | 4.5% | 6.5% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 7.5% | 6.8% | 6.0% | 5.4% | 5.7% | 6.7% | 5.0% | 6.8% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 6.6% | 7.4% | 5.8% |
| Ontario | 6.4% | 4.6% | 6.6% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 7.1% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 7.6% | 7.9% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 7.6% | 6.1% | 5.3% | 6.7% |
| Orleans | 6.4% | 8.4% | 7.4% | 5.4% | 5.5% | 9.0% | 5.4% | 9.4% | 7.2% | 7.9% | 7.4% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 7.2% | 9.8% | 7.3% | 5.9% | 7.3% |
| Seneca | 6.6% | 5.4% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 8.9% | 6.7% | 6.0% | 7.5% | 2.9% | 5.1% | 4.3% | 7.5% | 8.6% | 6.1% | 5.9% | 5.7% | 6.0% | 3.5% |
| Wayne | 5.8% | 5.5% | 6.1% | 7.1% | 8.5% | 5.2% | 7.5% | 5.8% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 7.1% | 6.8% | 6.3% | 7.5% | 7.2% | 8.0% | 7.2% | 7.5% |
| Wyoming | 5.8% | 3.7% | 5.4% | 3.5% | 6.3% | 7.2% | 4.9% | 5.1% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 5.3% | 7.5% | 7.7% | 3.6% | 6.4% | 5.7% | 6.5% | 5.5% |
| Yates | 6.6% | 7.5% | 3.2% | 4.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.4% | 4.8% | 2.8% | 5.1% | 6.4% | 6.6% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.9% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| Rochester | 11.0% | 9.1% | 10.8% | 10.1% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 11.7% | 10.8% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 12.9% |
| Batavia | 9.4% | 6.3% | 7.3% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 6.3% | 5.6% | 5.2% | 7.1% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 7.3% | ||||||
| Canandaigua | 6.1% | 10.7% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 11.5% | 8.8% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 12.1% | 2.2% | 6.3% | 7.1% | ||||||
| Geneva | 10.9% | 9.5% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 6.7% | 11.4% | 5.7% | 10.2% | 6.7% | 9.6% | 4.7% | 5.9% |
Source: New York State Department of Health
Notes: The benchmark for low birth weight is 2500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds.
Notes: The benchmark for low birth weight is 2500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds.
Number of Low Birth Weight Babies
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 307,030 | 308,747 | 314,077 | 324,064 | 331,772 | 338,565 | 351,974 | 354,333 | 347,209 | 336,747 | 325,563 | 319,711 | 315,709 | 315,099 | 318,847 | 320,869 | 321,839 | 318,873 |
| NYS | 20,020 | 19,504 | 19,860 | 19,972 | 20,402 | 20,392 | 20,759 | 20,560 | 20,471 | 20,226 | 19,910 | 19,417 | 18,935 | 18,670 | 18,644 | 18,419 | 18,394 | 18,423 |
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 10,086 | 9,390 | 9,900 | 9,822 | 9,910 | 9,933 | 10,238 | 10,005 | 9,752 | 9,640 | 9,495 | 9,409 | 9,069 | 8,972 | 9,260 | 8,965 | 9,043 | 9,078 |
| Region | 1,048 | 885 | 1,004 | 960 | 979 | 1,059 | 1,097 | 1,025 | 972 | 1,044 | 1,043 | 1,019 | 1,011 | 960 | 1,014 | 974 | 933 | 1,007 |
| Monroe | 727 | 619 | 688 | 660 | 655 | 722 | 759 | 694 | 702 | 740 | 725 | 707 | 720 | 680 | 700 | 673 | 657 | 731 |
| Surrounding Counties | 321 | 266 | 316 | 300 | 324 | 337 | 338 | 331 | 270 | 304 | 318 | 312 | 291 | 280 | 314 | 301 | 276 | 276 |
| Genesee | 40 | 26 | 36 | 39 | 37 | 52 | 49 | 45 | 31 | 44 | 42 | 29 | 35 | 34 | 37 | 35 | 32 | 37 |
| Livingston | 38 | 29 | 43 | 32 | 32 | 47 | 44 | 36 | 32 | 33 | 38 | 29 | 34 | 24 | 22 | 34 | 39 | 29 |
| Ontario | 74 | 53 | 75 | 68 | 63 | 71 | 74 | 80 | 59 | 59 | 79 | 81 | 65 | 69 | 82 | 63 | 52 | 65 |
| Orleans | 34 | 39 | 36 | 25 | 25 | 38 | 25 | 42 | 30 | 35 | 32 | 24 | 23 | 30 | 41 | 33 | 24 | 30 |
| Seneca | 24 | 20 | 26 | 27 | 30 | 25 | 22 | 29 | 11 | 19 | 17 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 12 |
| Wayne | 68 | 60 | 67 | 81 | 95 | 55 | 85 | 62 | 81 | 77 | 69 | 70 | 61 | 72 | 70 | 77 | 66 | 71 |
| Wyoming | 25 | 16 | 24 | 15 | 27 | 30 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 29 | 29 | 14 | 25 | 21 | 26 | 19 |
| Yates | 18 | 23 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 15 | 8 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 13 |
| Rochester | 415 | 324 | 379 | 343 | 315 | 346 | 407 | 386 | 390 | 377 | 362 | 350 | 371 | 379 | 340 | 344 | 309 | 390 |
| Batavia | 19 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 13 | ||||||
| Canandaigua | 7 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 7 | ||||||
| Geneva | 20 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 9 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 7 | 10 |
Source: New York State Department of Health
Notes: The benchmark for low birth weight is 2500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds.
Notes: The benchmark for low birth weight is 2500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds.
Children & Youth Indicators
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Worse than NYS by 10% or more
Up to 10% worse than NYS
Equal to or better than NYS| INDICATORS - Grouped by Topic | REGIONAL VALUE | YEAR | NYS COMPARISON | TREND | REGION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prenatal Care | 77% | 2017 |
3
|
0
Maintaining
|
| Prenatal Care, by Race/Ethnicity | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | ||
| Babies Born with Low Birth Weights | 8.2% | 2017 |
2
|
1
Increasing
|
| Babies Born with Low Birth Weights, Race/Ethnicity, Monroe County | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | ||
| Infant Mortality Rate | 6.7 | 2015-17 |
2
|
0
Maintaining
|
| Infant Mortality Rate, Race/Ethnicity, Monroe County | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | ||
| Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels | 0.9% | 2016 |
2
|
-1
Decreasing
|
| Children in Poverty | 19% | 2015-19 |
3
|
1
Increasing
|
| Children in Poverty, Race/Ethnicity | 2015-19 | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | |
| Single-Parent Families | 39% | 2015-19 |
2
|
1
Increasing
|
| Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity | 2015-19 | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | |
| Rate of Child Abuse and Neglect | 21 | 2019 |
2
|
1
Increasing
|
| Rate of Foster Care Admissions | 2.4 | 2019 |
2
|
-1
Decreasing
|
| Rate of Teen Pregnancy | 2% | 2017 |
3
|
-1
Decreasing
|
| Rate of Teen Births | 13 | 2017 |
2
|
-1
Decreasing
|
Worse than NYS by 10% or more Up to 10% worse than NYS Equal to or better than NYS
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