WHO growth chart
Percentile curves and tables from the WHO Child Growth Standards for weight, length and head circumference, birth to age 5. Pick a measurement and sex.
| Age | 3rd | 15th | 50th | 85th | 97th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 2.4 kg | 2.8 kg | 3.2 kg | 3.7 kg | 4.2 kg |
| 1 mo | 3.2 kg | 3.6 kg | 4.2 kg | 4.8 kg | 5.4 kg |
| 2 mo | 4.0 kg | 4.5 kg | 5.1 kg | 5.9 kg | 6.5 kg |
| 3 mo | 4.6 kg | 5.1 kg | 5.8 kg | 6.7 kg | 7.4 kg |
| 4 mo | 5.1 kg | 5.7 kg | 6.4 kg | 7.3 kg | 8.1 kg |
| 5 mo | 5.5 kg | 6.1 kg | 6.9 kg | 7.8 kg | 8.7 kg |
| 6 mo | 5.8 kg | 6.4 kg | 7.3 kg | 8.3 kg | 9.2 kg |
| 7 mo | 6.1 kg | 6.7 kg | 7.6 kg | 8.7 kg | 9.6 kg |
| 8 mo | 6.3 kg | 7.0 kg | 8.0 kg | 9.0 kg | 10.0 kg |
| 9 mo | 6.6 kg | 7.3 kg | 8.2 kg | 9.3 kg | 10.4 kg |
| 10 mo | 6.8 kg | 7.5 kg | 8.5 kg | 9.6 kg | 10.7 kg |
| 11 mo | 7.0 kg | 7.7 kg | 8.7 kg | 9.9 kg | 11.0 kg |
| 12 mo | 7.1 kg | 7.9 kg | 8.9 kg | 10.2 kg | 11.3 kg |
| 15 mo | 7.7 kg | 8.5 kg | 9.6 kg | 10.9 kg | 12.2 kg |
| 18 mo | 8.2 kg | 9.0 kg | 10.2 kg | 11.7 kg | 13.0 kg |
| 21 mo | 8.7 kg | 9.6 kg | 10.9 kg | 12.4 kg | 13.8 kg |
| 2 yrs | 9.2 kg | 10.1 kg | 11.5 kg | 13.1 kg | 14.6 kg |
Have a measurement? Plot it with the baby percentile calculator.
How the WHO growth chart was made
Between 1997 and 2003 the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study followed healthy babies from birth to 2 years, plus a cross-sectional group aged 18 months to 5 years. Every child had non-smoking mothers, good healthcare and was breastfed. That's why the WHO describes the curves as a standard for how children should grow, rather than a reference for how a particular population does grow.
Formula-fed babies tend to gain weight a little faster than breastfed babies after about 3 months, so they may sit slightly higher on the WHO weight curves. That's expected and isn't a problem on its own.
Frequently asked questions
What is the WHO growth chart?
The WHO Child Growth Standards, published in 2006, describe how healthy children grow from birth to 5 years when they are breastfed and raised in good conditions. They were built from the Multicentre Growth Reference Study, which measured about 8,500 children in Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and the USA.
Why do boys and girls have separate charts?
Boys are on average slightly heavier and longer from birth, so percentiles are calculated separately by sex.
Should I use the WHO or CDC chart?
For children under 2, the CDC itself recommends the WHO charts. From age 2 to 20, US clinicians switch to the CDC 2000 charts. See our CDC vs WHO page for details.
What do the 3rd and 97th percentile lines mean?
They mark roughly two standard deviations below and above the median. About 94% of healthy children fall between them. The CDC recommends using the 2.3rd and 97.7th (±2 SD) as cut-offs when screening with the WHO charts.
Source: WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group, "WHO Child Growth Standards" (2006). Values computed from the official LMS parameters.