Recent Mexican immigrant women on average have an unexpectedly low incidence of low birth weight (LBW). Birth weights decline and LBW incidence increases in post-immigrant generations. This pilot project tested the hypothesis that subjective social status (SSS) of pregnant women predicts variation in birth weight between Mexican immigrant and Mexican–American women. 300 low-income pregnant Mexican immigrant and Mexican–American women in South Texas were surveyed for SSS, depression, pregnancy-related anxiety, perceived social stress and self-esteem and subsequent birth weight. No significant difference in SSS levels between pregnant Mexican immigrant and Mexican–American women were found. However, SSS better predicted variation in birth weight across both groups than mental and psychosocial health variables. Results suggest distinct relationships among SSS, mental and psychosocial health that could impact birth weight. They underscore the relevance of a multilevel, biopsychosocial analytical framework to studying LBW. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Hispanic women culture status Stress Birth weight

anxiety depression poverty mental health human Stress, Psychological mental stress time factor Time Factors ethnology Humans migrant psychology Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors pilot study socioeconomics pregnancy Mexican American adult Social Environment Birth Weight Mexican Americans Pilot Projects Texas