Maternal and Child Health Journal
Volume 15, Issue 8, 2011, Pages 1350-1355

The paternal component of the "healthy Migrant" effect: Fathers' natality and infants' low birth weight (Article)

Krishnakumar A. , Lane S.D.* , Hall M. , Tso E. , Pinto N. , Oberoi N. , Suk W. , Badawy Z. , Wojtowycz M.A. , Aubry R.
  • a Department of Child and Family Studies, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • b Department of Health and Wellness, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • c Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • d Department of Health and Wellness, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • e SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • f Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • g Anthropology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • h Ross University, School of Medicine, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago
  • i Center for Maternal and Child Health, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
  • j Center for Maternal and Child Health, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States

Abstract

This study examines the predictors of birth outcomes among women of European and African ancestry and considers the birthplace of the babies' fathers (foreign born vs. native born) as a protective factor. This is a secondary data analysis of 146,431 singleton births among women of European and African ancestry, both native-born and foreign-born, in a 21 birth hospital region of Central New York State from 1996 to 2003. Foreign born fathers were found to have 15% fewer low birth weight infants than US-born fathers, after controlling for the race and birthplace of the mother, tobacco use and Medicaid. Although this secondary data analysis does not allow us to determine the social determinants of the better birth outcomes among infants of foreign born fathers, it does demonstrate that fathers matter and that foreign born fathers are associated with reduced low birth weight in their infants. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

Fathers Healthy migrant Low birth weight

Index Keywords

Registries Caucasian register human African American Fathers United States Humans New York Infant, Newborn male Emigrants and Immigrants female newborn Infant, Low Birth Weight Article low birth weight father migration European Continental Ancestry Group medicaid African Americans
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-81255136679&doi=10.1007%2fs10995-010-0705-5&partnerID=40&md5=bf1ba1ea485a9e19ca31245a7760e0d0
DOI: 10.1007/s10995-010-0705-5
ISSN: 10927875
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English