title: Risk of low birthweight and prematurity among foreign-born mothers.
abstract: Data collected during postnatal visits were used to study the risk of low birthweight (LBW) and prematurity among foreign-born mothers and mothers born in Canada. 2,913 singleton live births were included in the analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for LBW and prematurity were estimated using a logistic regression model. Foreign-born mothers did not have a higher risk of LBW or prematurity as compared to native-born mothers (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.8-1.5; OR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.7-1.4, respectively). For both LBW and prematurity, women in the intermediate category of length of stay (1-3 years) had a somewhat lower risk and women with the shortest length of stay (less than one year) had a slightly higher risk than women with the longest length of stay (more than 3 years). However, none of these results was statistically significant. Results of this study suggest that foreign-born mothers do not have a higher risk than Canadian-born mothers of bearing a LBW or premature infant. This finding differs from the widespread perception that immigrant mothers are at high risk for adverse birth outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Community Health Department, St. Justine Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doucet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumgarten
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Infante-Rivard
mesh_terms: D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000208:ethnology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D008877:Middle East / Q000208:ethnology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011792:Quebec; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology