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In 2013, nearly 22 million newborns, an estimated 16% of all babies born globally that year, had low birth weight.
According to preliminary data for 2012, 7.99% of infants were born at low birth weight, including 1.42% who were born at very low birth weight

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Low Birth Weight Definition, Causes, Effects, and Complications

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One of the key factors contributing to birth weight is parental health. A baby can have an increased risk of low birth weight due to the illness of the mother. Infections in the uterus can lead to early labour, while other infections such as chickenpox and rubella can cause slowed growth.
During pregnancy, parental education and income can influence  the behaviours of the mother. Access to resources such as a nutritious food intake may reduce the risk of having a low birth weight baby.
Parental health care includes constant monitoring of the baby's growth and development. Interventions such as dietary change can be put in place to reduce the risk of low birth rate, if the foetus is experiencing slowed growth.

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Environmental tobacco smoke can have similar effects on the unborn baby as maternal smoking does. It also increases the risk of a low birth weight baby. Women in remote areas may have fewer health services in the areas in which they live. This can decrease access to health care, which can mean that slow grow is not detected and goes untreated, contributing to low birth weight.

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For optimal development, maternal nutrition is vital for supplying the unborn baby with the nutrients required.  An insufficient supply of nutrients can lead to underdevelopment of the foetus.
During pregnancy, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and drug use contribute to higher rates of low birth weight.

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Babies born under 35 weeks gestation have an increase rate of low birth weight. Less time spent in the uterus means less time to grow and develop, especially in the foetal stage, when the rate of growth increases significantly. Maternal age also has an impact on birth weight, as younger and older mothers have high rates of low birth weight babies. genetics can play a role on birth weight as babies born to parents who were of low birth weight themselves may have an increased risk of being born with low weight.

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Low birth weight may indicate that the body systems that are under developed and are at risk of a range of health and development problems increases. Babies with  a low birth weight weigh less than 2500 grams, whereas, the average newborn weighs about 4 kilos.