Document Type

Article

Date

January 2011

Keywords

Healthy migrant, Fathers, Low birth weight

Disciplines

Nutrition | Public Health

Description/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.

Additional Information

Copyright Maternal and Child Health Journal (2010). This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and Maternal and Child Health Journal. The final publication is available at: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10995-010-0705-5/fulltext.html

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