The agency developed this file to allow for analysis of characteristics of sets of births and fetal deaths in multiple deliveries. The data allowed researchers to investigate a variety of topics such as the viability of multiples by gender and birthweight discordancy. This series contains microdata on live multiple births occurring within the United States. The information is collected from the 50 states and the District of Columbia from birth certificates filed at local and state levels. The records include data on prenatal care; the mothers' age, race, marital status, education, place of birth, and Hispanic origin; pregnancy history data on birth order; the fathers' race and age; and medical and health data such as method of delivery, risk factors including tobacco and alcohol use, obstetric procedures, and congenital abnormalities. The file also has information on fetal and infant deaths including sex, birthweight, Apgar score, gestation, set order, resident status, and cause of death.
This data comprises government records extracted from the Archival Research Catalog (ARC). See the ARC catalog entry for this series for more information on this data and how to order it.
