Low Birth Weight: Psychosocial Aspects

Kate E. Pickett & James W. Collins Jr.

The health of a society is often judged by the health and well-being of its mothers and infants. Social inequalities in health in the United States are reflected in a high incidence of low birth weight; a much higher rate than seen in other developed nations and not markedly affected by advances in medicine and technology. Low birth weight is a leading cause of infant mortality and morbidity. It also represents an enormous economic cost to society, both in short-term medical costs and long-term loss of human capital. Rates of low birth weight vary greatly among American populations of different race, economic status, and class; in particular, the disparity in low birth weight between African American and White populations is a striking and persistent public health problem. Prevention of low birth weight requires an understanding of factors that cause both fetal growth retardation and shortened gestation . Well-known obstetrical risk ...

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