Guidelines as to how much a healthy baby should weigh are unnecessarily killing infants as only those too small or too large are considered at risk and given special attention

  • Guidelines state if a baby weighs in the highest or lowest 10% they are at risk
  • Doctors intervene by performing a Caesarean section to help keep them alive
  • Research suggests children currently not deemed at risk actually are in danger
  • And experts say the brackets for birth weight should be completely reevaluated 

By Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published: 10:57 EST, 1 February 2017 | Updated: 10:58 EST, 1 February 2017

Guidelines defining what the healthy birth weight of a child born in Britain is are inaccurate, experts have warned.

When a baby is deemed too small or too large by doctors, they intervene by performing a Caesarean section to maximise their chances of survival. 

But new research suggests that lives are unnecessarily being lost due to the healthy size bracket being too narrow.

Experts now warn that the current guidelines should be reevaluated to account for children not deemed a risk at present.  

What is currently considered to be a healthy guideline size for babies needs to be reviewed, according to a new study

If babies are predicted to weigh in the lightest 10 per cent or the heaviest 10 per cent they are considered at risk of adverse outcomes.

But University of Glasgow researchers found the bracket should actually be extended after assessing nearly one million pregnancies over 19 years.

They analysed the associations of birth weights with stillbirths, infant mortality rates and admissions to neonatal units.  

Their study found that those weighing in the 25 per cent lowest weights were actually at an increased risk of adverse outcomes. 

While those born weighing more than 85 per cent of newborns also suffer the same risks, according to the study published in PLOS Medicine.

Closer surveillance, or earlier delivery, of babies with these predicted birth weights may reduce these adverse outcomes.

When a baby is deemed too small or too large by doctors, they intervene by performing a Caesarean section (stock)

Study author Dr Stamatina Iliodromiti said: 'We looked at almost a million births and found the bands are too narrow. 

WHAT TO EAT TO AVOID A MISCARRIAGE

Eating nuts, kale and avocado could help protect women from suffering a miscarriage, research has suggested.

Being deficient in vitamin E starves an embryo of vital energy and nutrients it needs to grow, scientists found.

This can cause severe neurological damage - ultimately leading to the loss of a pregnancy, Oregon State University researchers claim. 

'By widening them we may be able to address some of Britain's poor record with stillbirths. 

'We provide convincing evidence that how we define whether a baby is too small or too large needs to be revisited. 

'We anticipate that by redefining this, we can continue to reduce stillbirths.'

Research last year found that Britain ranked 21st out of 35  

A study last year ranked Britain 21st out of 35 of the world's developed nations for stillbirth rates.

While many nations have cut their rates, Britain is lagging behind, according to research. 

In a league table of progress on the issue, it placed 114th out of 164 countries for improvements over the past 15 years.  

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