Open AccessOffspring birthweight and placental weight in immigrant women from conflict‐zone countries; does length of residence in the host country matter? A population study in Norway
Author(s) -
Eskild Anne,
Sommerfelt Silje,
Skau Irene,
Grytten Jostein
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/aogs.13777
Subject(s) - norwegian , offspring , medicine , demography , residence , birth weight , immigration , obstetrics , population , pregnancy , gestational age , biology , geography , environmental health , philosophy , linguistics , genetics , archaeology , sociology
We aimed to estimate differences in offspring birthweight and placental weight between Norwegian women and immigrants in Norway from countries with armed conflicts. We also studied whether length of residence in Norway was associated with offspring birthweight and placental weight. Material and methods We included in our study all singleton births in Norway at gestational week 28 or beyond during the years 1999‐2014, to mothers who were born in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq (total immigrants n = 18 817), or Norway (n = 668 439). Data were obtained from The Medical Birth Registry of Norway and the Central Person Registry of Norway. We estimated the differences between Norwegian and immigrant women in mean offspring birthweight and mean placental weight by applying linear regression analyses. Adjustments were made for maternal age, parity, year of delivery, gestational age at delivery, preeclampsia, and diabetes. Results The immigrant women had 206 g (95% CI 199 to 213 g) lower mean offspring birthweight and 16 g (95% CI 14 to 18 g) lower mean placental weight than Norwegian women. Immigrant women with ≥5 years of residence in Norway had higher offspring birthweight (40 g) and higher placental weight (17 g) than immigrant women with <5 years of residence. Conclusions Immigrant mothers from Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq gave birth to infants and placentas with lower weight than Norwegian women. However, the difference between Norwegian women and immigrant women was reduced by length of residence in Norway.