title: Comparing Pregnancy Outcomes of Immigrants from Ethiopia and the Former Soviet Union to Israel, to those of Native-Born Israelis.
abstract: To compare pregnancy outcomes of immigrants from Former-Soviet-Union (FSUI) and Ethiopia (EI) to those of Jewish-native-born Israelis (JNB), in context of universal health insurance. Birth outcomes of all singletons born in Soroka-University Medical-Center (1998-2011) of EI (n = 1,667) and FSUI (n = 12,920) were compared with those of JNB (n = 63,405). Low birthweight rate was significantly higher among EI (11.0 %) and slightly lower (7.0 %) among FSUI, compared to JNB (7.5 %). Preterm-delivery rates were similar to those of JNB. Both immigrant groups had significantly (p < 0.001) higher rates of perinatal mortality (PM) than JNB (21/1000 in EI, and 11/1000 in FSUI, compared to 9/1000). Using multivariable GEE models both immigrant groups had significantly increased risk for PM; however, EI had twice as much FSUI origin (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.6-3.4, and OR 1.3, 95 % CI 1.1-1.6, respectively). Universal health care insurance does not eliminate excess PM in immigrants, nor the gaps between immigrant groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. shakkedlub@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shakked
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5098-9270
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lubotzky-Gete
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shoham-Vardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sheiner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001724:Birth Weight; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D054238:Perinatal Mortality / Q000208:ethnology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014586:USSR / Q000208:ethnology; D019472:Universal Health Insurance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adverse birth outcomes; Ethiopia; Former Soviet Union; Immigrants; Israel; Perinatal mortality; Preterm delivery