Philippino and Vietnamese women--a study of intrapartum differences

The pregnancies of 140 Philippino women (168 deliveries) and 198 Vietnamese women (250 deliveries) were compared to those of Australian-born women delivered at the Mater Mothers' Hospital, Brisbane over the 5-year period 1980-1984 with the aim of detecting differences in their labour and mode of delivery. The Philippino women were predominantly married to Caucasian men whereas the Vietnamese women were married to Vietnamese men. The study assesses the clinical impression that this difference between the 2 groups affects intrapartum outcome. Birth-weights of the babies of Philippino women followed the same pattern as those of Australian women while Vietnamese women delivered smaller babies. Philippino primiparas had increases in all parameters of labour studied, notably an increased Caesarean section rate, especially those performed in the second stage. Comparable increases were not found in either Philippino multiparas or Vietnamese women. Based on these results 'relative' cephalopelvic disproportion is postulated among the Philippino women.