Despite economic blows, infant health has improved among US poor

Infant health has steadily improved among the United States' most disadvantaged groups, despite worsening economic conditions for those at the bottom. Researchers cite targeted programs and policies as the driving forces behind such marked improvement. Disadvantaged mothers have poorer health than their advantaged peers. They are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and use illicit drugs. They typically have worse underlying health, and are more likely to have preexisting conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Likewise, they are more susceptible to diseases, such as influenza. All of these health factors significantly increase the likelihood of delivering low-birth-weight babies.

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