Birth outcomes among low-income women- documented and undocumented.

Background: In January 2007, Texas expanded the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to include perinatal care for the unborn children of undocumented low-income women and certain documented women ineligible for Medicaid or CHIP because of income or residency status. CHIP Perinatal includes coverage for undocumented women and provides a glimpse into the birth outcomes of this difficult-to-reach population.

Objective: Community Health Choice (CHC) is the largest health maintenance organization provider of CHIP Perinatal in Texas, and we sought to determine preterm and low-birth-weight rates among women enrolled in CHC CHIP Perinatal and compare them with women of similar low-income status enrolled in Medicaid.