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Respiratory distress syndrome and maternal birth weight effects

T P Strandjord1, I Emanuel, M A Williams

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-6320, USA. tps@u.washington.edu

Obstetrics and Gynecology
|February 16, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Maternal low birth weight (LBW) is a significant risk factor for infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), particularly in Black infants. Improving birth weight distribution is crucial for better perinatal outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal health
  • Neonatal research
  • Public health disparities

Background:

  • Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common neonatal condition.
  • Maternal low birth weight (LBW) is an understudied intergenerational risk factor for RDS.
  • Ethnic variations in RDS incidence and risk factors warrant investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine traditional risk factors for RDS.
  • To investigate maternal LBW as an intergenerational risk factor for RDS across diverse ethnic groups.
  • To determine the association between maternal LBW and RDS in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a population-based database linking Washington state maternal and infant vital records.
  • Analyzed data from four racial-ethnic groups: whites, blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanics.
  • Employed Poisson regression models to estimate relative risks (RR) for RDS.

Main Results:

  • RDS rates varied by ethnicity: whites 1.2%, blacks 1.9%, Native Americans 1.3%, and Hispanics 1.0%.
  • Maternal LBW showed increased RR for RDS in white (2.6) and Black (3.3) infants born vaginally.
  • Mothers of infants with RDS had significantly lower birth weights across white, Black, and Native American groups.

Conclusions:

  • The association between maternal LBW and RDS is likely mediated by infant LBW and preterm birth.
  • A strong, persistent link between maternal LBW and RDS in Black infants highlights the need to improve long-term birth weight distribution for this population.
  • Addressing intergenerational factors like maternal birth weight is critical for reducing RDS disparities.
Abstract

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