Not applicable

Rate = (Number of live newborns with a birth weight between 500 grams and 2,499 grams, inclusive) ÷ (Number of live newborns with a birth weight greater than or equal to 500 grams) × 100

Unit of Analysis: Discharge from acute care facilities

Place of residence

Rate - Rate per 100

None

Not applicable

Description:
Number of live newborns with a birth weight greater than or equal to 500 grams
Inclusions:
1. ICD-10-CA in-hospital birth codes:

–Any one diagnosis code of Z38.0, Z38.3 or Z38.6 coded in any position
Exclusions:
1. Non-newborn records

2. Cadaveric donors

3. Weight <500 grams

4. Invalid birth weight (Weight = blank, 0000, 0001 or ZZZZ)

5. ICD-10-CA abortion or out-of-hospital birth codes:

–Any one diagnosis code of P96.4, Z38.1, Z38.2, Z38.4, Z38.5, Z38.7 or Z38.8 coded in any diagnosis field

Description:
Number of live newborns with a birth weight between 500 grams and 2,499 grams, inclusive
Inclusions:
Weight <2,500 grams
Exclusions:
Same as denominator (numerator is a subset of the denominator)

Low birth weight can add to length of hospital stays and health care costs. Over the fiscal years, these rates have continued to vary among provinces and territories. Given this variability, this indicator can be used to inform government planners, policy-makers, health system decision-makers, health care providers, patients and the general public. It can help raise awareness and allow Canada to compare its rates with the rates of other countries.

Lower rates for this indicator are desirable.

Health System Outcomes: Improve health status of Canadians

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

DAD, HMDB, MED-ÉCHO

Type of Year:
Fiscal
First Available Year:
2001
Last Available Year:
2016

All provinces/territories

National, Province/Territory, Region

Every year

Web Tool:
Quick Stats
URL: https://apps.cihi.ca/mstrapp/asp/Main.aspx?Server=apmstrextprd_i&project=Quick%20Stats&uid=pce_pub_en&pwd=&evt=2048001&visualizationMode=0&documentID=029DB170438205AEBCC75B8673CCE822

As of 2015–2016, the national results include non-residents of Canada.

In order to provide a more stable rate estimate, only data from regions with a population of at least 75,000 (from 2001–2002 to 2005–2006) or 50,000 (from 2006–2007 to 2014–2015) was reported. Additional indications for suppression were rate instability and under-reporting. As of 2015–2016, regions are not suppressed based on population; however, numerator and denominator volume thresholds are applied for reporting.

As of 2006–2007, all provinces and territories submit in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems,10th Revision, Canada (ICD-10-CA) and Canadian Classification of Health Interventions (CCI) coding classification systems; for this reason, Canadian rates are provided only from 2006–2007 onward.

Results are presented for a patient's region of residence, rather than the location of the facility where hospitalization occurred. For Prince Edward Island and the territories, the entire province/territory is included as a region. Health regions in Nova Scotia and Alberta have changed over time. The Postal Code Conversion File (PCCF/PCCF+) was used to assign patients to their region of residence.

As of 2015–2016, the national results include non-residents of Canada.

Nunavut did not submit data to CIHI in 2002–2003.

Data from Region 6 in New Brunswick in 2004–2005 was suppressed due to incomplete data submission. Data from this region was excluded from the provincial rate. Data from Peace Country in Alberta in 2006–2007 and 2008–2009 was also suppressed due to incomplete data submission.

2016–2017 data for Nunavut is incomplete; indicator results have therefore been suppressed.

Not applicable