[Neonatal repercussions of immigration in Spain: comparison of periods 2003-2004 and 2007-2008].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics of immigrant women's newborns in our environment, and to compare them with those of native women.


METHODS
All newborns attended in the Neonatology Unit of Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Spain, between January 2007-December 2008 were included (n=3,177). Pregnant immigrant women were classified in six regions. Twelve diagnoses were defined and their relative risks were calculated. The results were compared with the results obtained in a previous study of the period 2003-2004.


RESULTS
There were 1,373 native newborns and 1,743 of immigrant origin. Immigrant women showed a higher rate of HBsAg carrier status (RR 4.33), neonatal infection risk (RR 1.24) and also macrosomia (RR 1.4). There were 6 HIV positive pregnant immigrant women compared with 8 Spanish women, and drug abuse was lower in the immigrant group (RR 0.15). There were no significant differences in the rate of other diagnoses. In the comparative rates between both periods there was an increased rate of immigrant women's newborn. We did not find any differences in the mean birth weight among newborns of immigrant women during both periods of time. HIV and hepatitis C infection remained higher in native pregnant women and hepatitis B infection in immigrant women and gypsy native women.


CONCLUSIONS
The study shows similar results between the two periods with persistence of complications secondary to an inadequate prenatal care, lower drug abuse and moderate increase in HIV and VHC infection in immigrant women and hepatitis B infection in immigrant women and gypsy native women.
Mur Sierra
Antonio
A
Sección de Neonatología, Hospital del Mar, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain. AMur@hospitaldelmar.cat
Díaz
Fina
F
Castejón
Esperanza
E
López-Vilchez
María Angeles
MA
Sanjuán
Gemma
G
Martin
Itziar
I
Carreras
Ramón
R
D000349:Africa; D001208:Asia; D001724:Birth Weight; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000266:history; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007843:Latin America; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013030:Spain; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology