Meta-analysis of five studies advocating nutrition education for pregnant women led to recommendations for research: (1) define nutrition education to aid replication; (2) describe the intervention thoroughly; (3) use experimental designs; (4) collect follow-up data; and (5) describe baseline demographic, behavioral, and health characteristics of…

Discusses the following barriers to reducing the infant mortality rate: (1) fragmented and bureaucratic federal prenatal care programs; (2) insufficient number of rural public health clinics and private practitioners willing to serve low-income expectant mothers; (3) lack of health insurance; and (4) the high-risk behavior and motivation of…

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)

Compared blood screening data for 200 urban and rural pregnant women in Nigeria. Found that rural subjects had a greater incidence of moderate anemia than did urban subjects, and corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations fell with increased gestational age. No relationship was found between hemoglobin counts and nutrition habits. (HTH)

This study compared phonological patterns in the speech of 25 children prenatally exposed to cocaine and multiple drugs and with 25 non-exposed children (all children ages 22 to 51 months). Prenatal exposure to drugs was associated with an increase in the use of phonological processes. Results suggest that these children's speech development is…

Predictive value of maternal age and education in relation to rates of mental retardation in a 3-year-birth cohort (n=267,277) was studied. Low maternal education placed individuals at increased risk for both educable mentally handicapped and trainable mentally handicapped placement. Older maternal age was associated with increased risk of mental…

The prenatal and neonatal factors of 225 children diagnosed with Autistic Disorder were compared with those of 1580 typically developing children. Each of the neonatal factors was compared between the Autistic Disorder and control groups, and between males and females. The results showed that males in the "Autistic Disorder" group had a…

Children prenatally exposed to cocaine may be at elevated risk for adjustment problems in early development because of greater reactivity and reduced regulation during challenging tasks. Few studies have examined whether cocaine-exposed children show such difficulties during the preschool years, a period marked by increased social and cognitive…

The report presents information on the incidence and prevention of preterm births which are related to infant death and subsequent handicapping conditions. The first chapter analyzes statistics from Sweden, Britain, Scotland, Canada and the U.S. on optimum birthweight. European developments in the prevention of preterm birth are reviewed as well…

Disturbances of growth and behavior in children of heroin-addicted mothers was studied in 77 preschool children. Arthur Retlaw and Associates, Inc., Suite 2080, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60201. (Author/DLS)

This article suggests that there are genetic and cultural factors which account for the difference in drinking patterns between Caucasian and Asian Americans. It is also suggested that Asian acculturation has an influence on this difference. (EB)

Measured the neurobehavioral integrity of Irish infants and maternal alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. Subjects were 127 primiparous mothers. Results demonstrated significant cry effects on infants of heavily drinking mothers, supporting the conclusion that newborn infants show functional disturbances in the nervous system resulting from…

Parents completed the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ), and their depression and anxiety were measured, during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The ICQ scores formed two components in the mothers' analysis, and one in the fathers'analysis. Predictors of postpartum ICQ scores were the postpartum ICQ components and the anxiety and…

Through their marine-based diet, the Inuit of Nunavik (Quebec) are exposed to neurotoxic environmental contaminants that impact cognitive development. Mercury levels in Nunavik Inuit mothers and newborns were higher than in U.S. and Canadian populations but lower than in previous Arctic samples. Lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, chorinated…

This paper investigates the relationship between low birthweight, enrollment in special education, and special education costs in the United States. The study used a national sample of approximately 8,000 children ages 6 to 15 from the 1988 National Health Interview Survey. The study held constant many of the social, economic, and family factors…