The number of babies born in 2021 in Northamptonshire that weighed at least 8lbs 13oz

There were five born in the county weighing more than 11lbs
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

How much a newborn weighs is still one of the first things we ask when a loved one shares their joyous news.

And for some parents the figure can be quite high.

So how many babies born in Northamptonshire in 2021 weighed more than four kilograms or 8lbs 13oz?

How many babies weighed more than 8lbs 13oz in Northamptonshire in 2021?How many babies weighed more than 8lbs 13oz in Northamptonshire in 2021?
How many babies weighed more than 8lbs 13oz in Northamptonshire in 2021?

Babies this size are deemed to be “unusually large”, the medical term for which is 'macrosomia'.

Experts say this may cause an “increased risk of complications”, but most babies that weigh four kilograms or more are born safely.

West Northamptonshire

Based on NHS Digital data, which does not include May due to unavailability, in the West Northamptonshire unitary area, 2,740 babies were born in 2021. Of those 2,250 had a known birth weight.

A total of 255 newborns weighed more than four kilograms - or 8lbs 13 oz, which equates to 11.3 percent. This is average when compared to figures across England.

No babies in the area weighed more than five kilograms.

North Northamptonshire

Based on the same set of NHS Digital data, in the North Northamptonshire unitary area, 2,090 babies were born in 2021. Of those 1,845 had a known birth weight.

A total of 230 babies weighed more than four kilograms - or 8lbs 13oz, which equates to 12.5 percent of the number of newborns. This is higher than the English average.

Five of those babies weighed more than five kilograms, or 11 pounds, and 225 of the newborns weighed between four kilograms and 4.9999 kilograms - or at least 8lbs 13oz.

So across the county, 485 babies weighed at least 8lbs 13oz in 2021.

Professor Asma Khalil, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, told sister site NationalWorld: “While there is an increased risk of complications if a baby is [four kilograms], the majority of women do not have any complications and their baby is born safely without any problems.”

Overall, in England, the proportion of larger babies has fallen from 11.4 percent in 2010 to 10.1 percent in 2020, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows, so there has been no increased likelihood of newborns weighing four kilograms or more.