Birth weight trends among interracial black and white infants

I examined time trends in low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) among interracial compared with single-race infants. Using natality data from 1978 through 1997 for singleton births to black and white parents , I calculated relative risks (RRs) of LBW and VLBW for interracial compare d with single-race births, stratified by maternal race and adjusted for mat ernal characteristics. Among black mothers, interracial births had lower ri sks of LBW and VLBW than single-race births, and RRs were similar throughou t the time period [for example, adjusted RR = 0.76 and 95% confidence inter val (CI) = 0.73-0.80 for LBW in 1994-1997]. Among white mothers, interracia l infants had higher risks of LBW than single-race infants; however, the ad justed RRs declined over the time period, from 1.22 (95% CI = 1.19-1.27) in 1978-1981 to 1.05 (95% CI = 1.03-1.08) in 1994-1997. Since 1978, there has been some relative improvement in birth outcomes for infants of white moth ers and black fathers compared with single-race white birth. There was, how ever, no relative improvement for black mother/black father infants relativ e to black mother/white father births.