birth weight
Last reviewed 01/2018
The average normal birth weight at term is about 3.5 kg.
Definitions include:
- low birth weight, LBW, less than 2.5 kg
- very low birth weight, VLBW, between 1.0 and 1.5 kg
- extremely low birth weight, ELBW, up to 1.0 kg
These terms refer to the weight at birth irrespective of the gestational age.