title: Obstetric Outcomes of First- and Second-Generation Pakistani Immigrants: A Comparison Study at a Low-Risk Maternity Ward in Norway.
abstract: This population-based study compares obstetric outcomes of first- and second-generation Pakistani immigrants and ethnic Norwegians who gave birth at the low-risk maternity ward in Baerum Hospital in Norway from 2006 to 2013. We hypothesized that second-generation Pakistani immigrants are more similar to the ethnic Norwegians because of increased acculturation. Outcome measures were labor onset, epidural analgesia, labor dystocia, episiotomy, vaginal/operative delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm birth, birth weight, transfer to a neonatal intensive care unit, and neonatal jaundice. Compared to first-generation Pakistani immigrants, the second-generation reported more health issues before pregnancy, and they had a higher proportion of preterm births compared to Norwegians. Newborns of first-generation immigrants were more often transferred to a neonatal intensive care compared to Norwegian newborns. Few intergenerational differences in the obstetric outcomes were found between the two generations. A high prevalence of consanguinity in second-generation immigrants suggests the maintenance of a traditional Pakistani marriage pattern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Baerum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, P.O. Box 800, 3004, Baerum, Drammen, Norway. kjersti.sletten@gmail.com.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. kjersti.sletten@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kjersti S
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9308-3367
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bakken
authors.affiliation: Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Center, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ola H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Skjeldal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Women and Children's Division, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.|Norwegian Resource Center for Women's Health, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Babill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stray-Pedersen
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001724:Birth Weight; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004420:Dystocia / Q000208:ethnology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007567:Jaundice, Neonatal / Q000208:ethnology; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000208:ethnology; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000208:ethnology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Immigrant; Intergeneration; Low-risk maternity ward; Obstetric outcomes; Pakistan