Maternal-Child Health Data from the NLSY: 1988 Tabulations and Summary Discussion

This report uses data from the 1983 through 1988 rounds of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) to provide information about prenatal, infant, and child health. Objectives of the report are to present statistics which should be of value to maternal and child health policymakers, and to provide NLSY users with baseline information about the health status of NLSY families. In 1988, interviews were conducted with 3,336 mothers of 6,540 children. Profiles of pre- and post-natal health-related attributes and behaviors concern: (1) prenatal care; (2) sonogram and amniocentesis; (3) vitamin supplementation; (4) alcohol and cigarette use; (5) birth weight; (6) caesarean section deliveries; (7) infants' and mothers' hospital stays; (8) care for well and sick infants during the first year of life; and (9) breast-feeding and formula feeding. Issues related to quality in these and other health-related areas are discussed. An extensive series of statistics on 32 pre- and post-natal health care issues and related issues is presented. Tables listing the sample size for each of these 32 data compilations are included. A series of tables presents data on health limitations and limitations of activity caused by health problems. (BC)