Answer to Question 1
Evidence suggests that if less than optimum conditions existed in the womb, there may be permanent changes in the structure and/or function of organs/tissues that will predispose individuals to certain chronic diseases later in life.
Answer to Question 2
Gestational age and birth weight are important predictors of infant health. Premature births and low birth weights are the leading causes of infant mortality. LBW infants are 40x more likely to die in the first year of life as compared to normal-weight infants. In 2008, 12 of babies born in the U.S. were premature and 8 were LBW.