title: Maternal experiences with everyday discrimination and infant birth weight: a test of mediators and moderators among young, urban women of color.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Racial/ethnic disparities in birth weight persist within the USA.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to examine the association between maternal everyday discrimination and infant birth weight among young, urban women of color as well as mediators (depressive symptoms, pregnancy distress, and pregnancy symptoms) and moderators (age, race/ethnicity, and attributions of discrimination) of this association.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 420 women participated (14-21 years old; 62 % Latina, 38 % Black), completing measures of everyday discrimination and moderators during their second trimester of pregnancy and mediators during their third trimester. Birth weight was primarily recorded from medical record review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Path analysis demonstrated that everyday discrimination was associated with lower birth weight. Depressive symptoms mediated this relationship, and no tested factors moderated this relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the association between birth weight and health across the lifespan, it is critical to reduce discrimination directed at young, urban women of color so that all children can begin life with greater promise for health.
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. valerie.earnshaw@gmail.com
authors.forename: Valerie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Earnshaw
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Jessica B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Stasko
authors.forename: Jonathan N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: Tené T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Allecia E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Jeannette R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ickovics
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D063508:Social Discrimination / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult