Between 1990 and 2000, the low birthweight (less than 2500 grams) rate increased more than 8 percent (from 7.0 to 7.6 percent).  The very low birthweight (less than 1500 grams) rate also increased from 1.3 percent in 1990 to 1.4 percent in 2000.

The 2000 low birthweight rate of 7.6 percent was over 50 percent higher than the Healthy People 2010 objective of no more than 5 percent set by the US Department of Health and Human Services.