Children who are healthy early in life--from conception to age five--not only grow up to be healthier adults, they are also better educated, earn more, and contribute more to the economy. The United States lags behind other advanced countries in early childhood health, threatening both the health of future generations and the nation's long-term…

Examines the relationship between social factors and low birth weight and the ways in which disparities in socioeconomic status have been addressed over time, and assesses the effectiveness of efforts to reduce low birth weight occurrences. The authors discuss the steps required to reduce persistent disparities in low birth weight. (GR)

In the United States black women have for decades been twice as likely as white women to give birth to babies of low birth weight who are at elevated risk for developmental disabilities. Does the black-white disparity in low birth weight contribute to the racial disparity in readiness? The author summarizes the cognitive and behavioral problems…