Baby weighing 5kg takes birth at Saham Hospital

Muscat: A baby girl weighing 5 kg has been born in a rare case in North Al Batinah Governorate on Sunday.

A statement issued by the Directorate General of Health Services in North Al Batinah said: “For the first time in Saham Hospital, a baby girl weighing 5 kilogrammes was born under the supervision of the medical staff in the hospital’s maternity hall, as the birth process did not require a caesarean section, and the baby was born in very good health.”

Speaking exclusively to Times of Oman, Dr. Hanan Moamen Al-Saeedi, obstetrics and gynaecology specialist at Saham State Hospital said: “The weight of most of the children born after full-term pregnancy is about 2.7-4.08 kilogrammes, depending on several factors.

“Whereas the normal weight of the male child at birth ranges from 3.03 to 3.6 kilogrammes and the length from 48.51 to 51 cm, the female’s weight at birth ranges from 2.9kg to 3.5kg and the length from 48 to 50.2 cm.

The doctor mentioned that one of the factors that affects the weight and size of the newborn is the order of birth; the first-born child tends to be smaller than children who are born later.

This also depends on the gender of the newborn; females tend to be smaller than males, but these differences are slight at birth.
The doctor pointed out that “the health of the mother during pregnancy is also an important factor as the health of the mother can affect the weight of the foetus; the mother who suffers from high blood pressure or heart problems, or who smokes cigarettes, takes drugs or alcohol during pregnancy, also affects the weight and the length of the child. The foetus may be heavier if the mother is diabetic or obese.

Nutrition during pregnancy is also important; good nutrition during pregnancy is necessary for the growth of child and poor nutrition can cause low birth weight. Excessive weight of the mother during pregnancy increases the likelihood of a baby with a higher than average weight, she said.

“Also, heredity affects the size of the child. The duration of pregnancy also affects the weight and size of the child. For example, children who are born before their due date are usually smaller, while children who are born after the scheduled date are heavier than average,” she said.