Poor at birth, ends in profound poverty (5)
I believe the answer is:
needy
'poor' is the definition.
(I know that needy is a type of poor)
'at birth ends in profound poverty' is the wordplay.
'at birth' becomes 'nee' (I've seen this in another clue).
'ends in' indicates one should take the final letters.
The final letters of 'profound poverty' are 'dy'.
'nee'+'dy'='NEEDY'
(Other definitions for needy that I've seen before include "Impoverished" , "Insecure; very poor" , "badly craving affection" , "Deprived" , "Poor - destitute" .)