During a period of increasing unemployment and decreased Medicaid eligibility, more women residents of low-income census tracts in Washington State received delayed prenatal care or none at all and delivered proportionately more infants of low birthweight. The incidence of maternal anemia also may have increased. (Author/GC)

A study conducted among WIC prenatal participants in Missouri and their newborn infants found that for every dollar spent on WIC, about 83 cents in infants' Medicaid costs was saved within 30 days of birth. Mothers' Medicaid costs were not affected. Additional studies are needed, however, to confirm these results. (GC)

Screening tests indicated that 141 out of 106,565 infants examined in New York City during 1979-80, had various forms of sickle cell anemia. Follow-up of 131 patients confirmed the original diagnoses, suggesting that the New York City Follow-up Program for Sickle Cell Screening of newborns was successful. (Author/MJL)

Assesses the relation between cocaine use and the risk of low birth weight in Alameda County (California) through a population-based case-control study of women with low birth-weight infants. Results show that cocaine use increases the risk of both pre-term delivery and intrauterine growth retardation. Limitations of this study are discussed. (JS)

Analyzes factors affecting the birth weight of infants born to Southeast Asian immigrant parents in Washington State from 1980 through 1986. Finds an annual reduction of 6.4 percent in the prevalence of low birth weight associated with an improvement in parental occupational status. (FMW)

Analyzes the incidence of low birth weight in New York City using monthly time-series statistical data from 1968 through 1988. Finds that a downward trend before 1984 for both Blacks and Whites has reversed, with 3,110 additional low birth weight births to Blacks and 1,385 additional low birth weight births to Whites over the numbers expected.…

Compares the birth weight distributions of Black and White infants in South Carolina for the paired-year periods 1975-76 and 1985-86. Finds no changes in birth weight between the two periods among Black infants, but the White infants reflected an overall improvement. (FMW)

Study of the health behaviors and birth outcomes among 201 foreign-born and 616 U.S.-born women who received prenatal care at Boston City Hospital reveals that foreign-born women had better pre-pregnancy nutritional status and prenatal health behaviors, and their infants had greater birth weight. Limitations of this study are discussed. (Author)

Reproductive factors for Hmong immigrants (mothers of 1,937 children) were compared with those of 3,776 white, non-Hispanic women. Despite a high proportion of births at high parity and advanced maternal age, Hmong women gave birth to very low birth weight babies at about the same rate as white women. (SLD)

Analyzes the effects of the following factors on low birth weight of 103,072 Black and White infants in Chicago: (1) median family income; (2) maternal age; (3) education; and (4) marital status. Concludes that family income shows racial disparity and that traditional risk factors do not completely explain racial differences in neonatal outcome.…

A study of 162 third graders in New York City finds that slightly over half of children in special education are males with Medicaid coverage and mothers with medical conditions or adverse health habits at birth. Two-thirds of children with this combination were in special education. (SLD)