Can secondary problems result if the baby is born too small?

Low-birthweight babies may not have enough fat to maintain a normal body temperature. Low body temperature can cause blood chemistry changes and slow growth. Bleeding in the brain happens in about one-third of very-low-birthweight infants and may result in brain damage or death. Newborns who survive may have learning and behavioral problems later on. Premature babies may have a dangerous heart problem. Before birth, a large artery called the ductus arteriosus lets blood bypass the baby’s nonfunctioning lungs. In premature babies, the artery may not close properly after birth, which can result in heart failure. Retinopathy of prematurity, an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye, can result in poor vision or blindness.