title: Maternal health and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background from Asian countries.
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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Gibson-Helm
authors: Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: Jacqueline
authors: J
authors: Boyle
authors: Southern Academic Primary Care Research Unit, School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; South Eastern Melbourne Medicare Local, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: I-Hao
authors: IH
authors: Cheng
authors: Monash Women's Maternity Services, Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; The Ritchie Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: East
authors: Monash Women's Maternity Services, Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Knight
authors: Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Diabetes and Vascular Medicine Unit, Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: helena.teede@monash.edu.
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Teede
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068097:Maternal Health / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Afghanistan; Asia; Bhutan; Iraq; Maternal health; Myanmar; Obstetric outcomes; Pregnancy; Refugee