Key Findings:

• Overall Decline: National low birthweight rates fell from 26% (1993) to 18% (2021), showing progress.

• Top Contributors: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and West Bengal account for 47% of India’s low birthweight births (4.2 million/year)

• Progress in High-Burden States: Rajasthan (48% in 1993) and Chhattisgarh (42% in 1993), initially among the worst, showed the most significant declines.

• The current scenario (2021): Punjab & Delhi (22%) have the worst rates; Mizoram (4%) and Nagaland (5%) the best.

• Factors associated with low birthweight: Poverty and lack of maternal education - directly linked to poverty and lack of access to healthcare services.

• Critical Gaps in Data: Many births go unweighted, especially in poorer states, suggesting actual numbers may be higher.

• While tremendous progress has been made, improving healthcare access and instituting measures to improve quality of data are key to build upon gains from the last three decades.Click here to read more