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Pregnancy outcomes in foreign‐born and US‐born women
Author(s) -
Forna F.,
Jamieson D.J.,
Sanders D.,
Lindsay M.K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/s0020-7292(03)00307-2
Subject(s) - medicine , foreign born , pregnancy , obstetrics , population , environmental health , genetics , biology
Objectives: To compare pregnancy outcomes between foreign‐born women and women born in the United States (US‐born). Methods: A retrospective cohort study (1991–2001) of all deliveries at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Results: Among 49 904 deliveries, 27% were to foreign‐born mothers representing 164 countries grouped into eight geographic regions. Compared with US‐born women, foreign‐born women had a higher mean birthweight (3315 vs. 3083 g), and a lower risk of preterm delivery (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.43–0.49), perinatal mortality (RR 0.40, 95% CI 0.36–0.45), hypertension (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.23–0.41), and HIV infection (RR 0.13, 95%CI 0.10–0.18). However, foreign‐born women had an increased risk of diabetes (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.48–1.79), perineal laceration (RR 1.71; 95% CI 1.66–1.76), and postpartum hemorrhage (RR 1.10; 95% CI 1.05–1.15). Conclusions: Foreign‐born women have better health behaviors, pregnancy outcomes, and a lower risk of infectious diseases than US‐born women, but they have a higher risk of certain medical conditions and obstetric complications.