title: Sociocultural factors that affect pregnancy outcomes in two dissimilar immigrant groups in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare perinatal risks and outcomes in foreign- and U.S.-born Asian-Indian and Mexican women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 6.4 million U.S. vital records for births during 1995-2000 to white, foreign- and U.S.-born Asian-Indian and Mexican women. Risks and outcomes were compared by use of chi2 and logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the exception of increased teen pregnancy and tobacco use, the favorable sociodemographic profile and increased rate of adverse outcomes seen in foreign-born Asian Indians persisted in their U.S.-born counterparts. In contrast, foreign-born Mexicans had an adverse sociodemographic profile but a low incidence of low birth weight (LBW), whereas U.S.-born Mexicans had an improved sociodemographic profile and increased LBW, prematurity and neonatal death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perinatal outcomes deteriorate in U.S.-born Mexican women. In contrast, the paradoxically increased incidence of LBW persists in U.S.-born Asian-Indian women. Further research is needed to identify the social and biologic determinants of perinatal outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Stanford Research Prevention Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. ashima@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Ashima
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madan
authors.forename: Latha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palaniappan
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Urizar
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Fortmann
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Gould
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D010923:Placenta Previa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D011295:Prenatal Care; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology