By using data from the National Vital Statistics System, this study provides an in-depth investigation of the well-documented mother's education– infant health gradient. The study allows for differential relationship between mother's education and infant health outcomes across localities based on income status by using birthweight and low birthweight as health measures. The results show that mother's education– infant birthweight relationship is more concentrated at relatively poor geographic areas. This can partially be explained by increases in utilization of health services among educated mothers residing in poorer areas compared to mothers with lower levels of education. Although the magnitude of education–health gradient has decreased in recent years, the gradient is still more pronounced in poorer localities. Access to health care during pregnancy, measured by adequacy of care, has improved particularly among less educated mothers living in poorer areas. However, smoking participation during pregnancy has declined substantially among less educated mothers across all geographic localities in recent years. Additionally, mother's education–infant health gradient is similar across black and white race groups.

通过使用国家生命统计系统的数据，本研究对有据可查的母亲的教育程度（婴儿健康梯度）进行了深入调查。该研究通过使用出生体重和低出生体重作为健康指标，根据收入状况，在各地母亲的教育程度与婴儿健康结局之间建立了差异关系。结果表明，母亲的教育与婴儿出生体重的关系更多地集中在相对贫困的地理区域。与受教育程度较低的母亲相比，生活在贫困地区的受过教育的母亲对医疗服务的利用增加可以部分解释这一点。尽管近年来教育与健康梯度的幅度有所下降，但在贫困地区这种梯度仍然更为明显。按照护理的充分程度来衡量，怀孕期间获得保健的情况有所改善，尤其是在生活在贫困地区的受教育程度较低的母亲中。但是，近年来，在所有地理区域中，受教育程度较低的母亲中，怀孕期间的吸烟参与已大大下降。此外，在黑人和白人种族群体中，母亲的教育-婴儿健康梯度也相似。