The objective is to obtain more accurate information relating to the very low birth weight (VLBW) infant, <1500 grams, than is now available from the United States vital records. This objective will be accomplished by the following: (1) mailing or administering a questionnaire to mothers of VLBW infants, mothers of fetal deaths, and a sample of mothers of LBW infants (1,500-2,499 grams) and normal birth weight infants (>2,500 grams) in order to obtain and verify information from the prenatal, perinatal, and post-neonatal periods; (2) conducting telephone follow-up interviews on non-respondents and incomplete respondents, and a 10 percent sample of study mothers to obtain and/or verify information on the questionnaires; (3) developing procedures for abstracting information from hospital and physician records, including otherwise unavailable or missing information on morbidity, lifestyle, and socioeconomic indicators of the study subjects; and (4) preparing an edited data tape for NICHD. In addition, mortality and results of follow-up evaluations will be available through the first year of life for this birth cohort.
