| This paper examined maternal characteristics and risk factors of adverse birth outcomes in Xiamen, China. The study was part of an on-going, nation-wide, prospective, Air Pollution and Human Health Study in China, led by the Yale School of Public Health and China's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. A random sample of 475 singleton live births to Xiamen-resident mothers was selected for the year of 2010. We defined adverse birth outcomes as infants with preterm birth, low birth weight, or birth defects. Maternal characteristics and demographic information were collected through in-person interviews. Associations between adverse birth outcome and maternal characteristics including maternal prepregnancy age, body mass index, education level, household income, alcohol consumption, tea drinking, smoking, and pregnancy history were assessed using multivariate logistic regressions. The results showed that 32 newborns (6.74%) experienced adverse birth outcomes including preterm birth (4.18%), low birth weight (3.16%), and birth defects (0.8%). Mother's body mass index showed statistically significant association with the risk of adverse birth outcomes. Compared to babies born to normal-weight mothers, babies born to underweight mothers [OR 2.92 (95% CI: 1.27--6.70)] and overweight mothers [OR 4.99 (95% CI: 1.37--18.20)] were more likely to experience adverse birth outcomes. Although no statistical significant associations were found between the other maternal characteristic variables and adverse birth outcomes; our analysis suggested that mothers with higher maternal education, lower household income, tea drinking during pregnancy, first parity birth, and a history of spontaneous abortion may have higher risk of adverse birth outcomes. Our study will serve as an exploratory baseline study for the Air Pollution and Human Health study in China. |
