Objectives. This study investigated birth outcomes of Japanese America
ns, focusing on the role of the mother's place of birth. Methods. Sing
le live births to US-resident Japanese American mothers (n = 37 941) w
ere selected from th 1983 through 1987 US linked live birth-infant dea
th files. Results. US-born mothers were more likely than foreign-born
mothers to be less than 18 years old and not married, to start prenata
l care early, and to more adequately use prenatal care. Infants or for
eign-born Japanese Americans had a slightly lower risk of low birthwei
ght. No significant differences were found between nativity groups for
very low birthweight or neonatal, postneonatal, and infant mortality.
The mortality rates of infants of US-born (6.2) and foreign-born (5.4
) Japanese American women were below the US Year 2000 objective but st
ill exceeded Japan's 1990 rate (4.6). However, low-birthweight percent
ages of the US-born group (5.7%) and the foreign-born group (5.0%) wer
e similar to that of Japan (5.5%). Conclusions. The infants of foreign
-born Japanese-American women exhibited modestly better low-birthweigh
t percentages than those of US-born Japanese Americans. This finding s
upports theories of the healthy immigrant.