[Ethnic variation of the duration of gestation]

This study compares the durations of gestation of 6,885 West Indian women who delivered in Fort-de-France, with 11,818 Metropolitan, 257 West Indian and 110 African women whose deliveries took place in Clamart (France). Mean duration of pregnancy was 4/10 of a week shorter: i.e. 3 days, for West Indians. There was no difference between West Indians giving birth in Fort-de-France as opposed to those giving birth in Clamart. Duration of pregnancy was shortest for Africans as compared with West Indians and Metropolitans. These differences were statistically significant. At Clamart, despite standardization allowing for maternal ages, parity and socio-economic status, mean differences and their statistical significance remained.