Data for the period September 1976 through April 1977 indicate a rise in the United States birth rate; however, the rate is still below the replacement level. It is speculated that the increase is an "echo" effect to the post-World War II baby boom which peaked in 1957. (SL)

Examined timing of completion of childbearing in cohorts of American women born in 1906-15, 1916-25, 1926-30, and 1931-35. Revealed large changes in timing of completion of childbearing. Among whites, found 50 percent reduction in proportion finishing after age 37. Among blacks, found large reductions in proportion ending before age 25 and…

Describes the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Children's Bureau, the federal agency that has symbolized the nation's concern for children. (Author/BB)

This article reviews current literature on early and midlife childbearing to clarify the relative contributions of biological and cultural factors to the obstetrical risks facing teenage and midlife mothers. (MT)

Reviews the Smithsonian Institute's publication, "Generations--A Universal Family Album," which was developed to accompany the exhibition inaugurating the museum's new International Gallery. The book explores ways in which families around the world and throughout the centuries have welcomed and nurtured infants and children. (BB)

First-time parents completed questionnaires 3 months before childbirth and 1 and 9-10 weeks after birth. Found that 39 Lamaze-trained couples reported similar levels of marital satisfaction, state anxiety, and birth-related problems at all testings, while 37 non-Lamaze trained couples showed decreases in marital satisfaction and increases in…

Tested the influence of birth-order complementarity on marital adjustment among 327 married women using the Spanier Dyadic Adjustment Scale (1976). Birth-order complementarity was found to be unassociated with marital adjustment. (Author/BL)

Classified fetuses as accelerators or decelerators based on intrapartum fetal heart rate (FHR). Explored the relationship of the classification with gestational age and neonatal behavior in clinically healthy neonates to provide an empirical basis for using FHR in the study of infant behavior. Subjects were 48 "healthy term" or…

The early psychomotor development (DQ) of 29 term small-for-gestational-age Brazilian infants was shown to be more dependent on postnatal growth than the DQ of 51 term appropriate-for-gestational-age infants. (Author/RH)

Assessed marital change following childbirth in a longitudinal study of 72 couples. Analysis indicated the transition to parenthood resulted in somewhat unfavorable changes, but spouses scoring high on marital functioning tended to do so with their new parent role as well. (JAC)

Examined the attitudes and values of 64 prospective parents choosing maternity center, hospital, or home births. Maternity-center couples emerged on the whole as less traditional and more representative of sex-egalitarian attitudes toward parenting. Overall, differences by gender, not group, were found. (JAC)

This publication reports trends in teen childbearing, adolescent sexual activity, and sexually transmitted diseases in the nation, in each state, and in large cities using data from the 2002 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Rates of teenage childbearing continue to steadily decline, and the 2002 rates are historic lows for each age…

This report is one in a series by the Food Research and Action Center celebrating the achievements of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in its 25-year history. The report documents the growth in WIC participation nationally and in each state during the program's history. Following a brief discussion…

In the 1990s, teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States declined significantly. Researchers cite two main factors: fewer teens are having sex, and among those who are, more are using contraception. Despite these positive trends, there are still about one million pregnancies and about half a million births each year to young women aged 15…

In this research birth-order differences were studied in a sample of young children at three different ordinal positions. (Authors/CB)