The relationship between maternal characteristics, birth weight and pre-term delivery: evidence from Germany at the end of the 20th century

Using data from a sample of German women, this paper analyzes the relationship between maternal characteristics and infants' birth weight and pre-term delivery. Besides typical epidemiological factors that influence the weight of infants, such as the gestational age and maternal BMI at the beginning of the pregnancy, we find a West--East gradient. Within West Germany, there is a small North-South gradient in birth weight, with larger birth weights in the north. Better educated mothers give birth to heavier babies and have a somewhat decreased risk of pre-term delivery. Income plays a minor role, while occupational status is not associated with the weight of infants at all.