If you don’t follow the lunar calendar and Chinese Zodiac, the Year of the Dragon just roared to life this week. It’s an auspicious time for having children in many Asian countries, and a baby boom of little dragons may soon be upon us all.

Photo by flickr user Mananetwork

Earlier this week, Thao Nguyen covered some important improvements that will make the future brighter for all American dragon babies.  Significantly, dragon babies can not be denied insurance due to preexisting conditions under President Obama’s health care reform law.

Yet, for Asian American mothers, this lucky year may be more dangerous than fortunate. Certain health barriers pose serious hazards for many Asian Americans mothers and their dragon babies. Here are some trends that may fire you up:

Higher HBV Infection Rate for Babies

Hepatitis B (HBV), which attacks the liver, is one of the most common infectious diseases in the United States and can be transmitted from moms to babies at birth. Nationally, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders account for less than 6% of the U.S. population, but more than 50% of chronic HBV cases. Up to 10,000 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander women who have HBV infection give birth in the U.S. each year, and babies infected at birth have a 90% chance of developing chronic HBV infection. Thankfully, there is an effective vaccine, but uptake is far from universal. This year, let's make sure that all babies at risk for HBV infection have the opportunity to receive this lifesaving preventive care.

Higher Rate of C-Sections

According to research, the rate of cesarean section for first time Asian and Pacific Islander moms increased by 70% between 1991 and 2008. C-section rates for these women are also 19% higher than the cesarean rate for first time mothers who are white. In addition, some studies indicate that Asian American moms who have white partners are more likely to give birth by cesarean.  It’s unclear why there’s a disparity in this important health outcome, or what information Asian American mothers are receiving about this increased risk. However, what is clear is that improving the quality of health care through cultural competency trainings, increased language access and the development of a diverse workforce is critical to improving the care that moms and babies receive.

Higher Risk of Gestational Diabetes

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) women are more likely to suffer from gestational diabetes. Yet, health care providers do not yet fully understand why there are significant differences between ethnic subgroups. For example, among AA and NHPI moms who develop gestational diabetes, Native Hawaiian and Filipino women are more likely to suffer poor outcomes related to the condition.

More Data Please

While there’s predictability in the movement of the stars and the cycle of our calendar, some Asian American health issues remain mysterious. It’s clear we need more data concerning Asian American moms and their babies. Let’s make some progress in data collection in the Year of the Dragon 2012!