Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Volume 43, Issue 1, 2003, Pages 46-49

Incidence of fetal macrosomia and birth complications in Chinese immigrant women (Article)

Westerway S.C.* , Keogh J. , Heard R. , Morris J.
  • a Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonard's, NSW 2065, Australia
  • b Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital, Hornsby, NSW, Australia
  • c Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • d Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonard's, NSW 2065, Australia

Abstract

Objective: To compare rates of fetal macrosomia (birthweight >4000 g) and birth complications in both Chinese women immigrants and Caucasian women for two time periods: 1992 and 1999-2000. Population: Chinese women immigrants and Caucasian women attending the Royal North Shore Hospital and Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital in Sydney's northern health region. Methods: Data used were extracted from the Northern Suburbs Area Health Service OBSTET database. Significance of trends were assessed using χ2 test. Results: The results show a rise in macrosomic babies born to Chinese immigrants from 4% of total Chinese births in 1992 to 9.8% in 1999-2000 (P = 0.02).There was no significant difference in the rate of macrosomia among Caucasian women with respective rates of 11 and 14% for the same periods. The incidence of post-partum haemorrhage increased significantly in both Chinese immigrants and Caucasian women (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Australia has a multicultural population and yet the normal ranges defined for many obstetric investigations do not adjust for ethnicity. The application of values derived from a Caucasian population to other ethnic populations may be inappropriate and conceal important pathologies.

Author Keywords

Post-partum haemorrhage fetal macrosomia Chinese immigrant

Index Keywords

statistical analysis China immigrant Chinese Australia Caucasian race difference human Reference Values Ethnic Groups health service data base priority journal controlled study birth injury Humans female postpartum hemorrhage pregnancy population research cultural factor New South Wales Incidence Article European Continental Ancestry Group Emigration and Immigration Birth Weight Fetal Macrosomia macrosomia Fetus Obstetric Labor Complications obstetrics time

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0037957334&doi=10.1046%2fj.0004-8666.2003.00013.x&partnerID=40&md5=b9feddb80d487712a8ab4e7c2094d699

DOI: 10.1046/j.0004-8666.2003.00013.x
ISSN: 00048666
Cited by: 16
Original Language: English