title: Perinatal outcomes in native Chinese and Chinese-American women.
abstract: This study aimed to compare perinatal outcomes in native Chinese, foreign-born and US-born Chinese-American women by analysing a cohort of 950,624 singleton pregnancies in south-east China and 293,849 singleton births from the US live and stillbirth certificates from 1995 to 2004. Only births at 28 weeks or later were included. Compared with US-born Chinese-American women, native Chinese and foreign-born Chinese-American women had substantially lower risks of having a small-for-gestational age (SGA) infant (adjusted relative risk [aRR] ranging from 0.46 to 0.66) or preterm birth (aRR ranging from 0.53 to 0.82). While having a White or Black father had a reduced risk of SGA (aRR=0.45 and 0.62, respectively), it has an increased risk for preterm birth (aRR=1.13 and 1.57, respectively). Infants with Chinese father and foreign-born mother were heavier than those with Chinese father and US-born mothers. All findings were statistically significant. Our findings demonstrated the protective role of foreign-born status on low birthweight and preterm delivery. The paternal contribution to fetal size is substantial.
authors.affiliation: Women's and Children's Health Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Hospital of Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yinghui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult