title: Biracial couples and adverse birth outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differences in birth outcomes such as low birthweight (LBW), preterm births (PTB), stillbirth, differences in birthweight in Black vs. White race are well known. Infants born to biracial parents (mother and father from either Black or White races) also experience higher adverse birth outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review and meta-analyze birth outcomes among parents of mixed racial background compared to parents of same race.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, Embase, CINAHL and bibliographies of identified articles were searched for English language studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies reporting association between parental mixed racial status and LBW, PTB, or small-for-gestational age (SGA) outcomes were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSES: After exclusion of duplicate cohorts in different publications, data from White mother-Black father (WMBF), Black mother-White father (BMWF) and Black mother-Black father (BMBF) groups were compared with the White mother-White father (WMWF) group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight English language studies from of 26 335 596 singleton births were included and reviewed. Compared to the WMWF group, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) were: (a) low birthweight; 1.21 (1.10-1.33) for WMBF, 1.75(1.64-1.87) for BMWF, and 2.08 (1.81-2.38) for BMBF; (b) preterm births; 1.17 (1.05-1.31) for WMBF, 1.37 (1.18-1.59) for BMWF, and 1.78 (1.59-2.00) for BMBF; and (c) stillbirths; 1.43 (0.92-2.21) for WMBF, 1.51 (1.09-2.08) for BMWF, and 1.85 (1.47-2.32) for BMBF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biracial status of parents was associated with higher risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes than both White parents but lower than both Black parents, with maternal race having a greater influence than paternal race on pregnancy outcomes.
authors: Department of Neonatology and Paediatrics, Joondalup Health Campus, and Joondalup Child Development Centre, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors: Ravisha M
authors: RM
authors: Srinivasjois
authors: Shreya
authors: S
authors: Shah
authors: Prakesh S
authors: PS
authors: Shah
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000208:ethnology*; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People