Call to action for healthier newborns

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI 

PETALING JAYA: One group of underweight newborns is particularly vulnerable to health problems.

Known as Small for Gestational Age (SGA), babies who fall in this category are those who weigh less than the 10th percentile for their gestational age.

In other words, SGA babies are smaller than 90% of other babies at the same number of weeks since conception.

Some experts estimate that SGA babies make up about one-third of low birth weight (LBW) newborns, defined as those born with a weight of less than 2,500 grams.

"SGA babies are particularly vulnerable. They are more prone to complications such as hypothermia, infections, respiratory issues, and metabolic problems shortly after birth,” said consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Musa Nordin.

 

Datuk Dr Musa Nordin

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Medicine deputy dean Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said SGA births have several underlying causes.

“Maternal factors such as poor diet, hypertensive or kidney disease, anaemia, substance abuse, small maternal size, and chronic conditions play a significant role,” said the public health physician.

Dr Sharifa said healthcare workers need to identify SGA babies early as many of the causes are preventable.

 

 

Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh

 

They include maternal malnutrition, hypertensive diseases, and substance abuse during pregnancy.

“Fetal factors also contribute to the occurrence of SGA babies, including multiple births, chromosomal abnormalities, and congenital infections,” she said.

Dr Sharifa added that problems with the placenta, such as insufficiency and infarction, are also critical factors leading to SGA births.

Consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Amar Singh HSS said poverty or socio-economic problems that mothers face could also be linked to SGA in newborns.

This is because such problems could jeopardise the well-balanced nutrition and prenatal care that is needed during pregnancy.


Datuk Dr Amar Singh HSS


Dr Sharifa said good policies on pregnancy monitoring, risk triaging, referrals to high-intensity care and preventing SGA are already in place.

“However, other factors such as social or economic factors make prevention efforts more difficult to implement,” she said.

Dr Amar said it was important to have disaggregated data to identify the most vulnerable segments of the population.

"We need to show which segments of the population are giving birth to SGA babies by geographical region, social class, ethnic group, and others.

“Only with this data can we target the groups that most require assistance.

"We must take meaningful, concerted action to address the rising rates of SGA births," urges Dr Amar.
ends

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