The rate of low-birthweight infants born in the United States has reached its highest level in almost 30 years. The rate in Georgia is among the highest in the nation at 9.6 percent.

We at Georgia Family Connection (GaFCP), the Promising Practices Network, and RAND Corporation are alarmed about increasing percentage of babies born at low birthweight. We are engaged in a collaborative initiative to increase awareness of low-birthweight trends and current promising practices prevention efforts.

Low birthweight tends to be thought of as associated with multiple births resulting from fertility treatments and teen mothers. However, findings show that rates of low birthweight have grown for all groups of women—young and older, white and non-white mothers, singleton and multiples births. Researchers are puzzled as to why this is so.

It is our hope that by shining light on this issue and introducing new ideas in how to address it, more communities will focus on this indicator of child well-being.

Through this collaborative initiative we compiled Improving Infant Health: Addressing Low Birthweight in Georgia, a compendium of research and promising practices related to low birthweight. The compendium summarizes key Georgia data and sets a direction for prevention.

Download the Low Birthweight Compendium.

A panel of national and Georgia experts on child and maternal health set a direction for preventing low birthweight and discussed first steps toward making significant improvements for Georgia’s children and families.

Listen to their presentations.

Chronic issues produce a domino effect, and low birthweight is a measure we can use to evaluate the overall health of the community. Read a three-part series in Connected, GaFCP's quarterly online magazine, that addresses low birthweight:

A Brief Moment in My Arms...Forever in My Heart: Babies Born Preterm—Number One Obstetrical Challenge in Georgia
A low birthweight story that has become all too common in Georgia.

Hope Offsets the High Costs of Caring for Premature High-Risk Newborns
Exploring the peaceful environment of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Low Birthweight Prevention "101"
A concise overview of research-based information related to preventing low birthweight.