title: Gestational weight gain and perinatal outcomes of subgroups of Asian-American women, Texas, 2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asian-American subgroups are heterogeneous, but few studies had addressed differences on gestational weight gain (GWG) and perinatal outcomes related to GWG among this growing and diverse population. The purposes of this study were to examine whether Asian-American women are at higher risk of inadequate or excessive GWG and adverse perinatal outcomes than non-Hispanic White (NH-White) women, and to compare those risks among Asian-American subgroups.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included all singleton births to NH-Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnam, and NH-White women documented in 2009 Texas birth certificate data (N = 150,674). Data were analyzed using the χ(2) test, t test, multinomial logistic regression, and binary logistic regression. Chinese women were the reference group in the comparisons among Asian subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Asian women had a higher risk of inadequate GWG and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) than NH-White women. No difference in the odds of excessive GWG was found among Asian subgroups, although Japanese women had the highest risk of inadequate GWG. After adjusting for confounders, Korean women had the lowest risk of GDM (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.49), whereas Filipino women and Asian Indian had the highest risks of gestational hypertension (AOR, 2.01 and 1.61), cesarean birth (AOR, 1.44 and 1.39), and low birth weight (AOR, 1.94 and 2.51) compared with Chinese women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the heterogeneity of GWG and perinatal outcomes among Asian-American subgroups. The risks of adverse perinatal outcomes should be carefully evaluated separately among Asian-American subpopulations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: rong@mail.hwai.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Lorraine O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Adama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Ju-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult