title: Race of parents and infant birthweight in the United States.
abstract: Detailed 1977 national natality data are used to investigate social, demographic, and genetic effects on birthweight differentials. Analysis of birthweight differences among infants with white, black, and mixed black-white parents indicates that a portion of the observed weight differentials appear to be due to biologic factors. Infants with a black mother and father have the lowest mean birthweights, while infants with two white parents have the highest weights. Newborns with mixed-race parents have intermediate birthweight distributions. Multivariate analysis suggests that the effects of parental race on birthweight are not the result of maternal/obstetric differences among parents of the same or mixed race.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Mangold
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Powell-Griner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D044469:Racial Groups; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014481:United States