Low birth weight, defined as birth weight less than 2500 grams, is an outcome that has been of concern to physicians for years. This is due to the fact that infant mortality rates and birth defect rates are very high low birth weight babies. A woman's behavior during pregnancy (including diet, smoking habits, and receiving prenatal care) can greatly alter the chances of carrying the baby to term and, consequently, of delivering a baby of normal birth weight. Data were collected as part of a larger study at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts during 1986. This data set contains information on 189 births to women seen in the obstetrics clinic. Fifty-nine of these births were low birth weight. The variables identified in the code sheet given in the table have been shown to be associated with low birth weight in the obstetrical literature. The dataset contains 10 variables including an indicator of low infant birth weight as a response and several risk factors associated with low birth weight. The actual birth weight is also included in the dataset. The goal of the current study was to determine whether these variables were risk factors in the clinic population being served by Baystate Medical Center. Actual observed variable values have been modified to protect subject confidentiality.

Name Description Codes/Values ID Identification Code ID Number LOW Low Birth Weight (indicator of birth weight less than 2.5kg) 0= 2 2500 g and 1=