What is Small for Gestational Age?
After conception, a foetus develops and grows in utero (in the mother’s womb) until birth. The number of weeks your baby spent in the womb before being born is referred to as your baby’s gestational age. If your baby is born smaller than normal for his or her gestational age, he or she will be referred to as being small for gestational age (SGA). Smaller than normal can refer to your baby’s short length, low weight, or both short length and low weight. At birth your baby will be measured in comparison to the average birth size and weight of other babies. A baby is considered SGA if it is lighter or shorter than 95% of babies. The exact definition of SGA will differ between countries. In certain countries babies that weigh 2500 g or less at delivery are considered SGA.
