This study examines pregnancy outcomes among 6 seldom- studied U.S. Asian subgroups- Asian Indian, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, and Vietnamese. Data are from National Center for Health Statistics' natality files for combined years 1995-97. Information on several of these subgroups has been available only since 1992 for 7-8 States (California, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington). These States represent the bulk of the populations of these Asian subgroups over the study period. Chinese and Korean women were found to have the most favorable birth outcomes of all groups studied. Levels of very low birthweight, low birthweight, very preterm and preterm birth were significantly lower for Chinese and Korean infants compared with most other groups. For example, the percent of very low birthweight for Chinese and Korean women was 1/3 that of Asian Indian and Filipino women (0.69 and 0.72 compared with 1.14 and 1.21 percent). The risk of neonatal mortality, and to a lesser extent, post neonatal mortality was also substantially lower for Chinese and Korean infants. Detailed indicators of maternal health such as birthweight and gestational age distributions will be presented, notable trends for 1992-97 in these indicators will be discussed, and reasons for the wide variation in pregnancy outcome among these groups will be explored. Some groups have a demographic profile that reflects their favorable birth outcomes but other groups, especially Asian Indians have a demographic profile that is in contradiction to their poor birth outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Asian Americans, Birth Outcomes
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.