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Birth outcomes for Asian-American adolescents: a high-risk group?
1Center for Population and Family Health, Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, USA.
Objective:
To explore the risks of moderately low (MLBW) and very low birthweight (VLBW) among Asian-American women, with particular attention to adolescent mothers.
Methods:
Data from birth certificates on 28,477 Asian women who gave birth in New York City between 1987 and 1993 were used to calculate percentages of MLBW and VLBW, and logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for maternal age, country of origin, and other risk factors.
Results:
Adolescents had elevated risks for both MLBW and VLBW, and most of this risk was attributed to the high prevalence of maternal sociodemographic risk factors among adolescents, as compared to older women. A significantly elevated risk of VLBW was found for teens who were born in the United States, suggesting a worrisome picture for second-generation Asian Americans.