In a prospective study of 3,857 pregnancies ending in singleton live births at Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, in 1980-1982, 9.5% of mothers reported using marijuana (4.1% occasionally and 5.4% at least 2-3 times monthly). Among white women, regular use was associated with an increased risk of delivering a low birth weight (less than 2,500 gm) infant (odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95%...

Infants of very low birth weight (VLBW) are, for the most part, potentially normal at birth but, because of immaturity of structure and function of many organs, are at risk from death or permanent handicap. A recent survey of world literature suggested that the improvement in the outcome for these babies, which has occurred over the past ten years, was due to perinatal intensive care. To date, ...

OBJECTIVE We investigated whether the proportion of Black very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants treated by hospitals is associated with neonatal mortality for Black and White VLBW infants. METHODS We analyzed medical records linked to secondary data sources for 74050 Black and White VLBW infants (501 g to 1500 g) treated by 332 hospitals participating in the Vermont Oxford Network from 1995 to...

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of infants with very low birth weight (VLBW, i.e., weight less than 1,500 g) in Japan. However, the effect of VLBW on subsequent behavioral development and mental health remains unknown. Subjects enrolled were 57 individuals (13.4 ± 1.9 years old) with VLBW (VLBW group), including 23 small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants (i.e., the SGA...

OBJECTIVE Young adults who were born very preterm or with a very low birth weight remain at risk for physical and neurodevelopmental problems and lower academic achievement scores. Data, however, are scarce, hospital based, mostly done in small populations, and need additional confirmation. METHODS Infants who were born at < 32 weeks of gestation and/or with a birth weight of < 1500 g in The ...

OBJECTIVES Although children with very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g) are at high risk for developmental impairments, we know little about the long-term effects of VLBW on families. This study examined long-term family outcomes and their stability over time. METHODS Participants were the families of 64 children with <750 g birth weight, 54 with 750-1499 g birth weight, and 66 term-born cont...