本研究的目的是以嬰兒父母親教育程度、職業、及其家庭收入為社經指標探討與低出生體重嬰兒、早產兒、及生長遲滯嬰兒之關係。1984至1987年間聘用三位經訓練的訪視員，針對在台北市立婦幼醫院產前檢查的所有懷孕六個月以上孕婦進行訪問，使用結構化問卷以蒐集孕婦本人及其配偶的詳細背景及有關暴露資料；研究期間亦進行暴露資料的準確度評估。有關出生結果的資料則於嬰兒出生後，由一位研究助理閱覽孕婦及新生兒的病歷進行摘錄。總共使用12,273單胞胎活產兒進行出生結果的分析，包括低出生體重嬰兒、早產兒、及生長遲滯嬰兒，最後使用多項logistic迴歸 進行分析。母親教育程度為小學或以下的婦女出生生長遲滯嬰兒的危險性為大專以上程度婦女的兩倍高（相對危險性=1.80，95%信賴區間=1.26-2.59），而父親教育程度為小學或以下者亦有較高低出生體重嬰兒的危險性（相對危險性=1.68，95%信賴區間=1.02-2.77）；但父母親職業與家庭收入對異常出生結果並非明顯的預測因子。因此在探討台灣地區異常出生結果的影響時父母親教育程度是一較好的社經狀態指標。

　　　　　The associations between socioeconomic factors and reproductive health in Taiwan were measured by examining the relationship between birth outcomes versus parental education, occupation and family income. Women at the six-month pregnancy and receiving prenatal care at the Taipei Municipal Maternal and Child Hospital (TMMCH) during 1984-87 were enrolled. Three trained interviewers, using a structured questionnaire, obtained detailed information of subjects and their husbands. One medical assistant abstracte d information on birth outcomes from medical records after the delivery of newborns. A total of 12,273 singleton live births in this ethnically homogeneous Chinese population were analyzed. Birth outcome variables included low birth weight (LBW), smallness for gestational age (SGA), and preterm delivery (PTD). Potential risk factors associated with these outcomes were investigated using multiple logistic regression models. Women with less education were associated with approximately twice the odds of havin g a SGA infant (RR=1.80, 95% CI=1.26-2.59) compared to women with a higher education. Fathers with low levels of education also had a higher risk of having a LBW infant (RR=1.68, 95% CI=1.02-2.77). Parental occupation and family income were not significant predictors for adverse birth outcomes. We conclude that education is a more favorable socioeconomic indicator in Taiwan for examining birth outcome than is occupation or family income.