title: Women with non-Swedish speaking background and their children: a longitudinal study of uptake of care and maternal and child health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study uptake of care at the antenatal and child health clinic (CHC), and maternal and child health up to 5 years after the birth, as reported by mothers with a non-Swedish speaking background (NSB).
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 300 women with a NSB, 175 originated from a poor country and 125 originated from a rich country, were compared with a reference group of 2761 women with a Swedish speaking background. Four postal questionnaires were completed: during pregnancy, and 2 months, 1 year and 5 years after the birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mothers with a NSB from a poor country of origin did not differ from the reference group of mothers with a Swedish speaking background regarding number of clinic visits, but they had a lower attendance rate at antenatal and postnatal education classes. Depressive symptoms, parental stress and poor self-rated health were more common in these women, and they reported more psychological and behavioral problems in their 5-year olds. Women with a rich country origin did not differ from the reference group regarding maternal and child health, but had a lower uptake of all out-patient care, except parental classes after the birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women originating from a poor country seem to be under great stress during pregnancy and the child's first years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. helena.fabian@ki.se
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fabian
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rådestad
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Waldenström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008603:Mental Health; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult