low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as weight at birth less than 2500 g (5.5 lb). Low birth weight continues to
be a significant public health problem globally and
is associated with a range of both short- and longterm consequences. Overall, it is estimated that 15%
to 20% of all births worldwide are low birth weight,
representing more than 20 million births a year. The goal
is to achieve a 30% reduction in the number of infants
born with a weight lower than 2500 g by the year 2025
(1). This would translate into a 3% relative reduction
per year between 2012 and 2025 and a reduction from
approximately 20 million to about 14 million infants
with low weight at birth.
Preterm birth is the most common direct cause of neonatal mortality .Low birth weight is not only a major predictor of prenatal mortality and morbidity, but recent studies have found that low birth weight also increases the risk for noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life