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Infants

Infancy—the period of life from birth to age 1—is associated with a unique set of public policy issues related to babies' health, development, and welfare. RAND's research on infants spans a wide range of topics for this brief but important period of life, including infant mortality, low birth weight, neonatal care, immunizations, breastfeeding and feeding practices, and cognitive development.

Commentary
MIECHV Reauthorization: Recommendations from Research
Funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program was extended through fiscal year 2017, without policy changes. If Congress decides to make policy changes to MIECHV in the future, research on home visiting programs can inform recommendations.
Apr 17, 2015
Tool
Investing in Early Social and Emotional Development Is Key
For children to flourish and succeed, they must be able to problem solve, handle stress and develop resilience, and interact appropriately with peers and adults. A study of children in Shelby County, Tennessee identifies factors in the home, child care setting, and community that contribute to social and emotional development.
Jan 14, 2015
Tool
Programs That Work
Public and private organizations serve millions of children and families in the United States. But how many of these programs are effective? The Promising Practices Network provides insight into which child and family programs are achieving their goals.
Sep 26, 2014
Journal Article
The Association of State Legal Mandates for Data Submission of Central Line–associated Bloodstream Infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Units with Process and Outcomes Measures
The authors determine the association between state legal mandates for data submission of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) with process and outcome measures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
Aug 22, 2014
Report
Evaluating Delaware Stars for Early Success: Year One Report
As a first step in a larger study of Delaware Stars, a voluntary quality rating and improvement system for early learning and care programs, RAND researchers reviewed prior literature, examined existing data, and interviewed key stakeholders.
Jun 9, 2014
Journal Article
Costs and Benefits of Treating Maternal Depression
Untreated maternal depression has serious consequences for the mother's long-term health and for her child's development and functioning.
May 1, 2014
Report
Early and School-Age Care in Santa Monica: Current System, Policy Options, and Recommendations: Executive Summary
In July 2012, the City of Santa Monica Human Services Division and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District contracted with the RAND Corporation to conduct an assessment of child care programs in Santa Monica.
Apr 25, 2014
Report
Early and School-Age Care in Santa Monica
Researchers examine how well Santa Monica's child care programs meet the needs of families, including child care and early education programs before kindergarten, as well as care for school-aged children, both during the school year and the summer.
Apr 25, 2014
Testimony
Evidence on Home Visiting and Suggestions for Implementing Evidence-Based Home Visiting Through MIECHV: Addendum
Document submitted on April 16, 2014 as an addendum to testimony presented before the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Human Resources on April 2, 2014.
Apr 22, 2014
Testimony
Is the MIECHV Program Improving Outcomes for Children and Parents?
Some features of the Federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program raise the likelihood that it will make the anticipated difference and produce the best results possible for at-risk families.
Apr 2, 2014
Commentary
Support for Implementing Home Visiting Under the Affordable Care Act
One groundbreaking provision of the Affordable Care Act is its funding for home visiting programs that match the parents of young children with trained specialists who provide information, social support, parental skill instruction, and more.
Jan 8, 2014
Research Brief
How to Develop Home Visiting Programs
Home visiting has achieved prominence on the national policy agenda because of the long-lasting positive outcomes. But how can stakeholders best plan, implement, and evaluate home visiting programs?
Dec 4, 2013
Tool
Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating a Home Visiting Program
Home visiting programs can help parents address the struggles of caring for young children by matching them with trained professionals who can support the development of quality parenting skills.
Sep 24, 2013
Commentary
Could Britain See a Baby Boom?
The royal birth comes at a time when fertility in Britain is increasing after decades of decline. Today, the U.K.'s total fertility rate, a proxy for the average number of children per women in a given year, is the third highest in Europe behind only France and Ireland.
Jul 31, 2013
Project
Improving Infant and Maternal Health in Rural Nigeria
The BORN Study examines efforts to improve maternal and infant health in Nigeria, where more than 250,000 infants die each year. BORN findings could have wide-ranging impact on health in the region.
Jun 13, 2013
Journal Article
The Social Determinants of Infant Mortality and Birth Outcomes in Western Developed Nations: A Cross-Country Systematic Review
Infant mortality (IM) and birth outcomes, key population health indicators, have lifelong implications for individuals, and are unequally distributed globally.
Jun 1, 2013
Journal Article
Effect of Chiranjeevi Yojana on Institutional Deliveries and Neonatal and Maternal Outcomes in Gujarat, India: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis
In an observational study using a difference-in-differences design, the relationship between the Chiranjeevi Yojana programme and the probability of delivery in health-care institutions, the probability of obstetric complications and mean household expenditure for deliveries was subsequently examined.
Jan 1, 2013
Journal Article
How Long After a Miscarriage Should Women Wait Before Becoming Pregnant Again?
Research in Matlab, Bangladesh, reveals that the shorter the interpregnancy interval (IPI) following a miscarriage, the more likely the subsequent pregnancy is to result in a live birth. However, very short IPIs are associated with a higher risk of mortality for the infants born after them.
Aug 20, 2012
Report
How Would Programs Rate Under California’s Proposed Quality Rating and Improvement System?
In 2010, the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee recommended a structure for a voluntary quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that could apply to the state's licensed centers and licensed family child care homes. Researchers examined fundamentals of the proposed QRIS rating scheme that could inform California's QRIS design.
May 1, 2012
Journal Article
Employment, Family Leave, and Parents of Newborns or Seriously Ill Children
Parents of newborns and seriously ill children often know about family leave options, but are too overwhelmed to apply for them. Most parents interviewed in this study wanted expert guidance and saw hospitals and clinics as promising information sources.
May 1, 2012

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RAND Topic:
Infants

Topic Synonyms:
Babies;
Baby;
Infancy

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