Low Birth Weight Tied To Rise In Infant Hemangiomas

A rise in the number of low birth weight infants in the United States is a major reason why there’s an increased rate of a common type of birthmark called infantile hemangioma, a new study finds.

“Hemangiomas are benign tumors composed of blood vessels. According to the study, there is a dramatic increase in the number of infants presenting for care with hemangiomas.

We believe the results of this study provide an explanation for this emerging pediatric health issue,” study author Dr. Beth Drolet said.

Being female, white and premature were previously identified as risk factors for hemagniomas, but this study concluded that low birth weight is the most statistically significant risk factor.

“For every 1.1 pound decrease in birth weight, the risk of hemangioma increased by ninefold,” Drolet said.

For this study, the researchers compared 420 children diagnosed with infantile hemangiomas and 353 children less than 2 years old diagnosed with other types of skin anomalies.

Read more at The Washington Post