Perinatal Outcomes for Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander Mothers of Single and Multiple Race/Ethnicity: California and Hawaii, 2003-2005

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) 2010-05, Vol.100 (5), p.877-887
• Main Authors: SCHEMPF, Ashley H, MENDOLA, Pauline, HAMILTON, Brady E, HAYES, Donald K, MAKUC, Diane M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asia - ethnology; Biological and medical sciences; Birth Certificates; Birth weight; California - epidemiology; Education; Ethnicity; Female; Gestational age; Hawaii - epidemiology; Hawaii - ethnology; Hispanic people; Humans; Infant mortality; Marital status; Medical sciences; Menstruation; Miscellaneous; Monitoring systems; Mothers; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) - methods; Pacific Islander people; Pacific Islands - ethnology; Parent educational background; Perinatal Care; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome - epidemiology; Pregnancy Outcome - ethnology; Premature birth; Prenatal care; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Research and Practice; Risk assessment; Risk Reduction Behavior; Sociodemographics; Studies; Womens health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.177345

We examined characteristics and birth outcomes of Asian/Pacific Islander (API) mothers to determine whether differences in outcomes existed between mothers of single race/ethnicity and multiple race/ethnicity. We used data from California and Hawaii birth certificates from 2003 through 2005 to describe variation in birth outcomes for API subgroups by self-reported maternal race/ethnicity (single versus multiple race or API subgroup), and we also compared these outcomes to those of non-Hispanic White women. Low birthweight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) varied more among API subgroups than between mothers of single versus multiple race/ethnicity. After adjustment for sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors, API mothers of multiple race/ethnicity had outcomes similar to mothers of single race/ethnicity, with exceptions for multiple-race/ethnicity Chinese (higher PTB), Filipino (lower LBW and PTB), and Thai (higher LBW) subgroups. Compared with single-race non-Hispanic Whites, adverse outcomes were elevated for most API subgroups: only single-race/ethnicity Korean mothers had lower rates of both LBW (3.4%) and PTB (5.6%); single-race/ethnicity Cambodian, Laotian, and Marshallese mothers had the highest rates of both LBW (8.8%, 9.2%, and 8.4%, respectively) and PTB (14.0%, 13.7%, and 18.8%, respectively). Strategies to improve birth outcomes for API mothers should consider variations in risk by API subgroup and multiple race/ethnicity.