title: Racial variations in obstetric practice.
abstract: This study involves a retrospective analysis of 453 pregnant persons, with the aim of comparing certain disorders of pregnancy as well as infant and placental parameters in various racial groups within the same community. Significant variations were seen in the mean age of the patients, age at first pregnancy, frequency distribution of first pregnancy, infant weight as well as gravida: parity ratio. There was a 3-fold increase in incidence of preeclampsia in the Australian-born population compared to other racial groups. Mild anaemias (haemoglobin less than 11.5 g/dl) were found in up to 61% of the Australian-born population compared to 32% of the other racial groups; however, more significant degrees of anaemia were more commonly found in certain ethnic groups (e.g. Greek 16%, Italian 15%, Australian-born 6%). These studies emphasize that overall incidence studies in a polyglot population can have very limited meaning, and that greater attention must be paid to the actual racial variations within a population.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cauchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001315:Australia; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044465:White People; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples