ABSTRACT
Low-birthweight infants born to young women in an urban poor and multiethnic community
who attended an intensive comprehensive prenatal program were studied. Of the 801
young women followed, 69 (8.6%) delivered infants weighing ≤ 2500 gm. Despite comprehensive
care, there was a high prevalence of maternal anemia though other obstetric factors
were not significantly increased. Of the 69 low-birthweight infants, 82.6% were below
the 50th percentile for weight. There was a tendency toward intrauterine growth retardation
(IUGR) among preterm infants which was pronounced after 33 weeks gestation. Further
studies are needed to determine what developmental insult could arrest growth and
lead in some instances to preterm birth and in others to IUGR.