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Relation of maternal low birth weight to infant growth retardation and prematurity

Dyan M Simon1, Shilpa Vyas, Nikhil G Prachand

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
|February 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Maternal low birth weight increases risks for infant growth problems and prematurity, particularly in African Americans. However, it does not fully explain racial disparities in these outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Perinatal Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Maternal birth weight is a key determinant of infant health outcomes.
  • Intrauterine growth retardation and prematurity are significant concerns in perinatal health.
  • Racial disparities in infant health outcomes persist globally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal birth weight and infant outcomes such as intrauterine growth retardation and prematurity.
  • To examine these relationships across different racial groups.
  • To determine if maternal birth weight explains existing racial disparities in infant health.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a dataset of Illinois vital records for African American and White infants and their mothers.
  • Employed stratified and logistic regression analyses.
  • Controlled for various maternal risk factors including age, education, and smoking.

Main Results:

  • Decreased maternal birth weight correlated with increased rates of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and preterm infants across racial groups.
  • Maternal low birth weight (<2,500 g) was a significant risk factor for SGA and prematurity in both African American and White infants.
  • Racial disparities in SGA and prematurity rates remained even after accounting for maternal birth weight.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal low birth weight is an independent risk factor for infant intrauterine growth retardation and prematurity in African Americans.
  • Maternal low birth weight is a risk factor for intrauterine growth retardation in White infants.
  • Maternal low birth weight does not account for the observed racial disparities in SGA and preterm birth rates.
Abstract

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