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Size at birth in an inner-city population
C Cazano1, B K Russell, L P Brion
1Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Division of Neonatology, Bronx, New York, USA.
Insights
Hispanic newborns were heavier than African-American newborns in this inner-city population. This study compared birth size and incidence of low birth weight between these groups.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Perinatal epidemiology
- Public health
Background:
- Existing data on birth weight and growth curves primarily compare Caucasian, African-American, and Hispanic populations.
- Inner-city populations present unique demographic and health considerations for neonatal outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare neonatal size at birth between Hispanic and African-American infants within an inner-city setting.
- To analyze incidence of premature delivery and low birth weight in these populations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mother-infant pairs admitted to Jacobi Medical Center between 1995 and 1997.
- Inclusion of infants with gestational age less than 34 weeks for a specific period.
- Statistical adjustment for factors including gestational age, gender, and teenage pregnancy.
Main Results:
- Hispanic singletons had lower rates of teenage pregnancy, premature delivery, and low birth weight compared to African-Americans.
- Full-term singleton Hispanic infants were heavier than African-American infants (adjusted difference 70 g, p=0.019).
- Male infants were heavier than female infants among full-term singletons (adjusted difference 116 g, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Hispanic infants exhibited greater birth weight than African-American infants in this urban cohort.
- Further research is necessary to explore the impact of various factors on neonatal size differences.
- Findings highlight the need for tailored perinatal care strategies considering racial and socioeconomic disparities.
Abstract:
Recent comparisons of growth curves and incidence of low birth weight are available for Caucasians and African-Americans or Hispanics. To compare size at birth in Hispanics with African-Americans in an inner-city population, we analyzed data on mother-infant pairs admitted to Jacobi Medical Center from January 1, 1995 until May 31, 1997 and those with a gestational age less than 34 weeks admitted from June 1, 1997 until December 31, 1997. The population mostly included mothers covered by Medicaid. The study sample included 2852 infants (1641 Hispanics and 1211 African-Americans). Among singletons, the incidence of teenage pregnancy was higher and those of premature delivery and low birth weight were lower in Hispanics than in African-Americans. Among full-term singletons, boys were heavier than girls (difference 116 g, confidence interval (CI) 57,174, p < 0.001 after adjusting for gestational age, gender, and teenage pregnancy), and Hispanics were heavier than African-Americans (adjusted difference 70 g, Confidence Interval (CI) 11,128, p = 0.019). Additional studies are needed to assess the effect of race on neonatal size after adjusting for differences in prepregnancy weight, weight gain, parity, social class, or other factors.