Incidence of prematurity and low birth-weight in an immigrant Chinese population.

Abstract

This paper analyses the incidences of prematurity (gestation less than 37 weeks) and low birth-weight (birth-weight between 500 and 2,500g) in liveborn singleton infants born in Australia to mothers of the Chinese race. The incidence of prematurity was lower in infants born to mothers from Hong Kong (4.6%), to those from an almost exclusive Chinese population (5.5%) and to those that comprised a predominantly Chinese population (6.1%) when compared to that in a mainly non-Chinese population (7.7%). The incidence of low birth-weight was lower in infants born to mothers from Hong Kong (3.5%) and to those born to an almost exclusive Chinese population (4.1%) but not to those born to a predominantly Chinese population (5.9%) when compared to that in those born to a mainly non-Chinese population (5.9%). The incidence of major fetal malformations was similar in these Chinese and non-Chinese populations. This study confirms that Chinese have a significantly low incidence of prematurity and that this finding remains true when they live in Australia. Detailed prospective studies are required in immigrant Chinese to determine why they have such a low incidence of prematurity and to determine the incidence of fetal malformations which is said to be different than in Caucasian populations.