KOLLAM: The Kerala government’s latest health data reveals a worrying trend — one in seven babies born last year weighed less than 2.5 kilograms. As many as 51,608 newborns — or 14% of all 3.74 lakh live births — were underweight. These findings are part of the government’s ‘Health at a Glance 2023-24’ report. The findings highlight a steady rise in low birth weight cases over the past five years, despite the state maintaining a 99% institutional delivery rate. Between 2019 and 2024, Kerala recorded nearly 21.1 lakh live births, of which an increasing share were underweight.
In 2019-20, out of 4.64 lakh babies, 51,471 (11%) were below 2.5 kg. The following year, 49,454 (12%) of 4.25 lakh newborns were underweight. In 2021-22, the number rose to 52,124 (12%) of 4.3 lakh births. By 2022-23, as many as 56,521 (13%) of 4.19 lakh newborns weighed less than 2.5 kg.
Health experts said the upward trend reflects gaps in maternal health. Anaemia, hypertension, and preterm birth are cited as the strongest predictors of low birth weight. The report shows that 1.2 lakh pregnant women were anaemic in 2023-24, while the number of preterm births stood at 26,968.
“Anaemia reduces oxygen supply to the foetus, restricting growth and raising the risk of preterm delivery,” said Dr Leema, senior gynaecologist surgeon with the Women and Children Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. “Hypertension, on the other hand, damages blood vessels and limits the flow of oxygen and nutrients for the baby’s development. Early detection of both is essential for a healthy pregnancy.”
Dr Lalithambica, a former gynaecologist with the Alappuzha medical college, linked the rise in underweight babies to increasing preterm deliveries. “In term births where the baby’s weight is low, proper medical care can manage the risk. But preterm babies with low weight face serious challenges, including neurological disorders, gastrointestinal complications, and learning difficulties. Tackling lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes is crucial to check rising preterm deliveries,” she said.
The experts stressed on the need for stronger antenatal screening, nutritional counselling, and community-level support. “Asha workers who go door-to-door have been playing a vital role in identifying maternal women and their health issues. Going forward, we need to strengthen field surveillance to detect conditions like anaemia and hypertension early,” Dr Lee-ma said.