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. 2015 May;129(2):146-51.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2014.10.036. Epub 2015 Jan 17.

Maternal health and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background from Asian countries

Melanie Gibson-Helm  1 , Jacqueline Boyle  1 , I-Hao Cheng  2 , Christine East  3 , Michelle Knight  4 , Helena Teede  5
Affiliations

Maternal health and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background from Asian countries

Melanie Gibson-Helm et al. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2015 May.

Abstract

Objective: To compare maternal health, prenatal care, and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background (born in Asian humanitarian source countries [HSCs]) and non-refugee background (born in Asian non-HSCs) at Monash Health (Melbourne, VIC, Australia).

Methods: In a retrospective study, data were obtained for women born in HSCs and non-HSCs from the same region who received government-funded health care for singleton pregnancies between 2002 and 2011. Multivariable regression analyses assessed associations between maternal HSC origin and pregnancy outcomes.

Results: Data were included for 1930 women from South Asian HSCs and 7412 from non-HSCs, 107 from Southeast Asian HSCs and 5574 from non-HSCs, 287 from West Asian HSCs and 990 from non-HSCs. Overweight, anemia, and teenage pregnancy were generally more common in the HSC groups. Birth in an HSC was independently associated with poor/no pregnancy care attendance (OR 4.2; 95% CI 2.5-7.3), late booking visit (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.5), and post-term birth (OR 3.0; 95% CI 2.0-4.5) among women from South Asia. For Southeast Asia, HSC birth was independently associated with labor induction (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.5). No independent associations were recorded for West Asia.

Conclusion: Women born in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iraq, and Myanmar had poorer general maternal health. Those from South Asian HSCs had increased risks of lower engagement in prenatal care, and post-term birth.

Keywords: Afghanistan; Asia; Bhutan; Iraq; Maternal health; Myanmar; Obstetric outcomes; Pregnancy; Refugee.

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