466 APPENDIX ATABLE 29
Percentage of Low-Birthweight Births by Detailed Race and Hispanic Origin, Selected Years 1980– 1998LOW BIRTHWEIGHT (LESS THAN 2,500 GRAMS, ABOUT 5.5 POUNDS)
Race and Hispanic origin 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Total 6.8 6.8 7.0 7.1 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6
White, non-Hispanic 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.9 6.1 6.2 6.4 6.5 6.6
Black, non-Hispanic 12.7 12.6 13.3 13.6 13.4 13.4 13.3 13.2 13.1 13.1 13.2
Hispanica 6.1 6.2 6.1 6.2 6.1 6.2 6.2 6.3 6.3 6.4 6.4
Mexican American 5.6 5.8 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 6.0 6.0
Puerto Rican 9.0 8.7 9.0 9.4 9.2 9.2 9.1 9.4 9.2 9.4 9.7
Cuban 5.6 6.0 5.7 5.6 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.5 6.5 6.8 6.5
Central and South American 5.8 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.8 5.9 6.0 6.2 6.0 6.3 6.5
Other and unknown Hispanic 7.0 6.8 6.9 7.3 7.2 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.7 7.9 7.6
Asian/Pacific Islander 6.7 6.2 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.6 6.8 6.9 7.1 7.2 7.4
Chinese 5.2 5.0 4.7 5.1 5.0 4.9 4.8 5.3 5.0 5.1 5.3
Japanese 6.6 6.2 6.2 5.9 7.0 6.5 6.9 7.3 7.3 6.8 7.5
Filipino 7.4 6.9 7.3 7.3 7.4 7.0 7.8 7.8 7.9 8.3 8.2
Hawaiian and part Hawaiian 7.2 6.5 7.2 6.7 6.9 6.8 7.2 6.8 6.8 7.2 7.2
Other Asian/Pacific Islander 6.8 6.2 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.9 7.1 7.1 7.4 7.5 7.8
American Indian/Alaska Native 6.4 5.9 6.1 6.2 6.2 6.4 6.4 6.6 6.5 6.8 6.8
VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT (LESS THAN 1,500 GRAMS, ABOUT 3.25 POUNDS)
Race and Hispanic origin 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Total 1.15 1.21 1.27 1.29 1.29 1.33 1.33 1.35 1.37 1.42 1.45
White, non-Hispanic 0.86 0.90 0.93 0.94 0.94 1.00 1.01 1.04 1.08 1.12 1.15
Black, non-Hispanic 2.46 2.66 2.93 2.97 2.97 2.99 2.99 2.98 3.02 3.05 3.11
Hispanica 0.98 1.01 1.03 1.02 1.04 1.06 1.08 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.15
Mexican American 0.92 0.97 0.92 0.92 0.94 0.97 0.99 1.01 1.01 1.02 1.02
Puerto Rican 1.29 1.30 1.62 1.66 1.70 1.66 1.63 1.79 1.70 1.85 1.86
Cuban 1.02 1.18 1.20 1.15 1.24 1.23 1.31 1.19 1.35 1.36 1.33
Central and South American 0.99 1.01 1.05 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.06 1.13 1.14 1.17 1.23
Other and unknown Hispanic 1.01 0.96 1.09 1.09 1.10 1.23 1.29 1.28 1.48 1.35 1.38
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.92 0.85 0.87 0.85 0.91 0.86 0.93 0.91 0.99 1.05 1.10
Chinese 0.66 0.57 0.51 0.65 0.67 0.63 0.58 0.67 0.64 0.74 0.75
Japanese 0.94 0.84 0.73 0.62 0.85 0.74 0.92 0.87 0.81 0.78 0.84
Filipino 0.99 0.86 1.05 0.97 1.05 0.95 1.19 1.13 1.20 1.29 1.35
Hawaiian and part Hawaiian 1.05 1.03 0.97 1.02 1.02 1.14 1.20 0.94 0.97 1.41 1.53
Other Asian/Pacific Islander 0.96 0.91 0.92 0.87 0.93 0.89 0.93 0.91 1.04 1.07 1.12
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.92 1.01 1.01 1.07 0.95 1.05 1.10 1.10 1.21 1.19 1.24
aPersons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
Note: Excludes live births with unknown birthweight. Low-birthweight infants weigh less than 2,500 grams at birth, about 5.5 pounds. Very-low-birthweight
infants weight less than 1,500 grams, about 3.25 pounds.
Trend data for births to Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites and blacks are affected by expansion of the reporting area in which an item on Hispanic origin is included
on the birth certificate as well as by immigration. These two factors affect numbers of events, composition of the Hispanic population, and maternal and infant
health characteristics. The number of States in the reporting area increased from 22 in 1980 to 23 and the District of Columbia (DC) in 1983-87, 30 and DC in 1988,
47 and DC in 1989, 48 and DC in 1990, 49 and DC in 1991-92, and all 50 States and DC from 1993 forward. Trend data for births to Asian/Pacific Islander and
Hispanic women are also affected by immigration.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System. Ventura, S.J., Martin,
J.A., Curtin, S.C., and Mathews, T.J. (2000). Births: Final data for 1998, National Vital Statistics Reports, 48 (3). Hyattsville, MD: National
Center for Health Statistics.cde_appx_A 8/29/03 8:21 AM Page 466