Weight Too Low, Babies Prone to Disease

Babies born weighing less than 2,500 grams should get more attention. Such babies are more susceptible to mortality and morbidity. They are also more prone to having behavior disorders.

"Babies are born with very low weight is at least already brought four illnesses in his life. At age 40 they are more prone to disease," said Dr. Judi Januadi Endjun, SpOG, fetomaternal experts from the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, Jakarta.

According to the Barker hypothesis, a disease that affects a person in adulthood are programmed from the moment he was in the womb.

"LBW infants at risk of death within the first 28 days of his life and at the age of vulnerable adults suffer from hypertension, diabetes, or heart attack," he explained in Nutritalk event themed "Early Forms of Mother Love to The Fruit Heart" held by Sari Husada in Jakarta, Thursday (21/07/2011).

He added that the baby's weight at birth was predictable since the gestation of 10 weeks or 2.5 months. "Normally the baby is growing each week length of 8 millimeters. If at the age of 10 weeks in length is not increased, we can be sure the baby will be born with less weight," he added.

Condition of infants with low weight (LBW) is associated with nutritional intake of the mother before pregnancy and during pregnancy. In addition, low birth weight can also be caused by disruption of nutrient intake of infants due to an interruption in the transport of nutrients through the placenta.

"While doing trimester ultrasound examination in early, ask the doctor to measure also the smooth circulation of blood especially in the uter uterine or major blood vessel carrying blood to the placenta," he said.

If the baby in the womb have a tendency to low birth weight, Judi did not suggest pregnancy continued until the infants aged 40 weeks.

"If it is definitely no interference with the placenta, the better the baby is born sooner. For, if left up to nine months, cell damage is greater in infants," he said.

Adequacy of infant nutrition, says Judi, can be met outside the womb. Nevertheless, according to Judi, basically babies born with low weight is not a healthy baby. "Like the building, its foundations are less strong," he added.