There has been research studies examining different racial and ethnic groups, highlighting specific health risks for each specific group. However, there is limited research on interracial couples — but as they become more common, there was an interesting study published this month examining Asian-Caucasian pregnancy risks.
A study sample of 858 Asian-Caucasian couples, 3,226 Asian couples and 5,575 Caucasian couples were examined at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford during deliveries of their babies. The results showed that gestational diabetes in the mother was highest among Asian couples (5.7% incidence), with Caucasian couples the lowest (1.6% incidence), and Asian-Caucasian couples right in the middle (4% incidence).
What is surprising? The data showed that the higher incidence of gestational diabetes in Asian-Caucasian couples shows a unique health risk for the mother, no matter if she was Asian or Caucasian. Asian mothers were most likely to undergo a C-section if their spouse is Caucasian, surmised to be due to a smaller pelvis bone of Asian women.
Further research must be done, of course, but these unique health risk profiles just give us a little more insight and scientific evidence on what mothers should expect when they are preparing for their bundle of joy.
(My cousin Lela is illustrating this post; she is actually 1/4 Korean, but for purposes of this blog entry we can pretend she’s half.)
