What it means
A baby who is heavier than 90 out of 100 babies born at the same gestational age. Common reasons are diabetes in the birthing parent, a large parent, a high weight gain in pregnancy and pregnancy past the due date. A very large baby is harder to deliver and may get stuck at the shoulders (shoulder dystocia) or be injured at birth.
For the nurse
Check the baby's blood glucose as policy requires, especially if the birthing parent has diabetes, because these babies are at risk of low blood sugar after birth. Look for birth injuries such as a broken collarbone.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | LGA |
|---|---|
| Also written | LGA, large-for-gestational-age |
Related terms
hypoglycemia
A blood glucose level below normal, under 70 mg/dL.
gestational diabetes
High blood sugar that first develops during pregnancy in a person who did not have diabetes before.
percentile
A number from 1 to 99 that shows how a measurement compares with others, as the share of the group that falls below it.
preterm
Before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.