Vol. 5, Issue 7, Part A (2019)

Abstract
Over 130 million babies are born every year, and more than 10 million infants die because of Low Birth Weight. Low birth weight refers to birth weights below 2500 grams. The risk of mortality during the neonatal period of LBW infants and mainly of VLBW babies is much higher compared to the risk of normal weight infants because the former are highly exposed to birth asphyxia, hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, trauma, respiratory disorders and infections⁽¹⁾. Low birth weight has been consider as one of the important causes of neonatal deaths. Around 15% of newborn infants weight less than 2500 gm, the proportion ranging from 6% in developed countries to >30% in some parts of the world⁽³⁾. The present study was planned to assess the hematological parameters in Low birth weight babies in predominantly breastfeed infants, born at term gestation in 2 to 4 weeks of age.