2026 OCAP State of the Child Report

LOW BIRTHWEIGHT ABOUT ONE IN EVERY THIRTEEN RIVERSIDE COUNTY BABIES IS LOW WEIGHT AT BIRTH, WITH BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN INFANTS MOST LIKELY TO BE BORN AT LOW BIRTHWEIGHT DESCRIPTION OF INDICATOR This indicator reports low birthweight infants as a proportion of the total number of births. Low birthweight is defined as infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces).

Why is this indicator important?

Findings 1-4 • In Riverside County, about one in 13 babies was born at a low birthweight in 2024, reflecting an increase in low birthweight infants since 2017. • Racial disparities remain significant. Black/ African American infants were most likely to be born with low birthweight (12.9%), followed by Asian and Pacific Islander infants and American Indian and Alaska Native infants. • Black/African American infants were twice as likely as white infants to be born at low birthweight during the 2021-2023 reporting period. • Multiple births carried the greatest risk of low birth weight. In 2023, infants from multiple births in Riverside County were about 9 times more likely than singletons to be born with a low birthweight.

Birthweight is a critical indicator of an infant’s health. A typical newborn weighs about 8 pounds. Babies born outside the normal range face higher risks for both immediate and long-term complications. Low birthweight, defined as less than 2,500 grams or 5 pounds 8 ounces, can result from preterm birth or from restricted growth among full-term infants. These infants are more likely to experience respiratory problems, heart conditions and feeding difficulties, and they face increased risks for chronic diseases later in life, including heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Regular prenatal care plays a key role in reducing the likelihood of preterm birth and low birthweight.

1 California Department of Public Health. (n.d.). Low birthweight dashboard. https://go.cdph.ca.gov/Low-Birthweight-Dashboard 2-3 March of Dimes. (n.d.). PeriStats. https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats 4 Riverside University Health System – Public Health. (2023). Riverside County maternal and infant health data: 2023. Riverside University Health System – Public Health. https://www.ruhealth.org/

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