Despite Profile Suggesting Low Risk, Indian-Born U.S. Mothers Have High Levels of Some Poor Birth Outcomes

Abstract

Compared with white mothers born in the United States Asian Indian mothers who have immigrated to the country have a lower prevalence of several social and demographic risk factors for poor birth outcomes; nevertheless according to a population-based study conducted in California they are more likely to have a low-birth-weight or premature infant or to experience fetal death. Foreign-born Mexican mothers have a higher prevalence of risk factors than white mothers but fare better on some birth outcomes. U.S.-born black mothers also have a higher prevalence of risk factors than white mothers but their rates of most poor birth outcomes are the highest. Factors associated with reduced odds of white and black mothers having a low-birth-weight infant do not show a similar pattern of associations among Asian Indian and Mexican mothers. (excerpt)