Adverse birth outcomes among native-born and foreign-born mothers in Taiwan: a population-based birth cohort study.
BACKGROUND
The number of children born to foreign-born mothers in Taiwan has significantly increased since the 1990s. These foreign-born mothers are mainly from China and Southeast Asia. Children born to foreign-born mothers, according to media reports, are subject to inferior health. This study sought to determine whether socioeconomic disparities in birth outcomes exist between native and foreign-born mothers in Taiwan.


METHODS
Analysis data were obtained from the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study of 20,090 nationally representative 6-month-old babies, born in 2005. The data on the babies were divided into two groups, those of foreign-born mothers and those of Taiwanese mothers. The health outcome variables that were examined included two adverse birth outcomes: low birth weight and preterm birth. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between income and foreign-born status, as well as birth outcomes among both groups.


RESULTS
Children of native Taiwanese mothers had a higher prevalence of low birth weight (6.9%) than did children of China-born (4.7%) and Southeast Asia-born mothers (5.2%). The prevalence of preterm birth was also higher among children of native Taiwanese mothers (8.4%) than among children of Southeast Asia-born (7.2%) and China-born mothers (6.3%). Foreign-born status was associated with lower odds of low birth weight among families with a monthly family income < NT$30,000 (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.14-0.42, p < 0.001), and lower odds of preterm birth among families with a monthly family income < NT$30,000 and NT$30,000-69,999 (AOR = 0.63, CI = 0.40-0.99, p < 0.05, and AOR = 0.68, CI = 0.53-0.88, p < 0.01, respectively). Having a higher monthly family income (NT$70,000+ and NT$30,000-69,999) was associated with lower odds of low birth weight (AOR = 0.59, CI = 0.46-0.77, p < 0.001 and AOR = 0.75, CI = 0.60-0.94, p < 0.05, respectively) among Taiwanese mothers, but not among foreign-born mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
Foreign-born mothers from China and Southeast Asia did not experience worse birth outcomes than native Taiwanese mothers did, regardless of the disadvantaged socioeconomic position of their families.
Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Laura Wen-Shuan
LW
Shiao
Tung-Liang
TL
Chiang
D000328:Adult; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000208:ethnology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D044382:Population Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult