Maternal

Question 1

Are births to teenage women in the US twice as high as that of any other industrial nations?

Answer 1

Yes

Question 2

why focus on child health?

Answer 2

• health of nation can be judged on its youngest members
• infancy: the first year of life
• neonate: first month (28 days) of life

Question 3

Do male or females have a higher life expectancy?

Answer 3

females have a higher life expectancy than males in all countries

Question 4

what race has the higher death rates for infants?

Answer 4

blacks

Question 5

what is LBW?

Answer 5

LBW is low birth weight and it is defined as less than 2500 grams (or 5.5 lbs). The average is 3400 grams or about 7 lbs

Question 6

what is preterm birth?

Answer 6

• born prior to 37 weeks gestation
• normal pregnancy 40 weeks (38-42 weeks)
• approximately 3 “3 month” trimesters

Question 7

Approx. how many infants are born premature?

Answer 7

2/3 LBW infants are born premature and 1/3 are “small”. This is known as intrauterine growth retardation which is not growing properly in the mother’s womb

Question 8

Are preterm births the leading cause of infant death - accounting for over 1/3 of these deaths?

Answer 8

yes

Question 9

Approx. how many infant deaths take place during the first month (neonatal period)?

Answer 9

2/3. these are most commonly due to preterm and lbw births

Question 10

what are some health problems associated with neonatal death, infant death and a host of child (and adult)?

Answer 10

ADHD, asthma, diabetes, etc.

Question 11

what race has the highest percentage of infants born at LBW?

Answer 11

blacks

Question 12

why the persistent black/white gap in infant birthweight?

Answer 12

maternal age
smoking
alcohol/drug use
maternal nutrition (WIC)
prenatal care
marital status
education

Question 13

describe the weathering hypothesis

Answer 13

the initiation of health deterioration in early adulthood as a physical result of cumulative social and economic disadvantage
in other words, black/white disparity may be explained by greater exposure to adverse life experiences with age (discrimination, poverty, stress, environmental hazards) by black women.