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Effects on birthweights of maternal education, socio-economic status, and work-related characteristics

Department of Social Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden: Correspondence address: Marie-Louise Nordström, M.D. Department of Social Medicine University Hospital S-751 85 Uppsala Sweden

Sven Cnattingius

Department of Social Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

Birthweights of 3,451 infants of women registered for antenatal care in Uppsala County, Sweden, were analyzed using three different maternal socio-economic indicators; education, socio-economic status and work environment exposure characteristics. Other explanatory variables were maternal age, parity, height, smoking habits, and length of gestation. Mean birthweights increase with longer education and higher socio-economic status. No general pattern was seen for work environment characteristics. When smoking habits are controlled for, social differences in birthweight decrease to non-significant values. A regression model with a socio-economic indicator alone explains only a minor part, less than 1%, of the variation in birthweight. When smoking is included, adding a socio-economic indicator does not significantly improve the model. Practically all social differences in birthweight are related to the differences in maternal age, parity, height, and smoking habits. If a socio-economic indicator is to be included in the analysis of birthweights (for other reasons like international comparisons), we recommend education.

Key Words: birthweight • socio-economic indicator • education • socio-economic status • work exposure characteristics • smoking • multiple linear regression

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 24, No. 1, 55-61 (1996)
DOI: 10.1177/140349489602400109


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