Características de las mujeres inmigrantes y de sus hijos recién nacidosCharacteristics of immigrant women and their neonates

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Antecedentes

Se suele considerar la condición de inmigrante como un riesgo para la salud que se asocia con un período de ajuste y de estrés

Objetivo

Comparar las características sociales y la evolución perinatal de las mujeres que paren en un hospital de tercer nivel en España en función del nivel socioeconómico del país de origen

Métodos

De diciembre de 2000 a marzo de 2001, se seleccionó a las mujeres en el momento de parir en función del nivel socioeconómico del país de origen. Todas las mujeres procedentes de países de escasos recursos económicos (aquí denominadas también mujeres inmigrantes), y una muestra (1:2) de las que no procedían de esos países (principalmente España), cumplimentaron un cuestionario sobre atención prenatal, características demográficas y sociales, país de origen, y fueron seguidas para valorar la evolución clínica neonatal

Resultados

Durante los 3 meses del estudio, 203/1.352 (15%; intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95 %, 13,2–17,1) de las mujeres que parieron eran inmigrantes. La mayoría procedían de países de Centro y Sudamérica (56 %; IC 95 %, 49–62). El embarazo se controló en la mayoría de los casos, 92,1% de las mujeres inmigrantes y 96,8 % de las españolas, p ≤ 0,01. Las proporciones de parto prematuro, bajo peso y muy bajo peso no difirieron entre las dos categorías de madres y fueron respectivamente, en las mujeres inmigrantes y en las españolas, 15 % frente a 10,6%, 6,4% frente a 9,4% y 2,1 % frente a 1,5 %, (en todos los casos p > 0,05). Las complicaciones perinatales, Apgar ≤ 6, ingreso en la unidad neonatal, ingreso en cuidados intensivos e intermedios, no fueron más frecuentes en los hijos de madres inmigrantes. Las mujeres inmigrantes tuvieron menos apoyo social y familiar y son muchas menos las que disfrutan de baja laboral por maternidad (62 % frente a 90 %, p < 0,001)

Conclusiones

La mayoría de las mujeres inmigrantes tienen embarazos y recién nacidos sanos. Las complicaciones perinatales no parecen más frecuentes en los hijos de mujeres inmigrantes. Las diferencias que se observan se refieren más al apoyo social. Para mejorar la salud de estos niños, se debería intensificar el apoyo social a las mujeres inmigrantes y a sus hijos

Background

Immigrant status is frequently assumed to constitute a health risk because migration is inevitably associated with a period of significant adjustment and stress

Objective

To compare the social characteristics and perinatal outcomes of mothers who deliver in a third level hospital in Spain according to their socioeconomic level of the country of origin

Methods

From December 2000 to March 2001, women who delivered were selected according to the socioeconomic status of their birth country. All women from low and middle income countries (immigrant mothers) and a sample (1:2) of those from high income countries (mainly Spanish-born mothers) completed a questionnaire on antenatal care, demographic and social characteristics, and country of birth and were followed-up to monitor neonatal clinical features

Results

During the three months of the study, 203/1352 (15%, CI 13.2–17.1) of the delivering mothers were immigrants. Most were from Central and South America (56%, CI 49–62). Prenatal care was appropriate in most of the women (in 92.1% of immigrant mothers and in 96.8 % of Spanish mothers, p ≤ 0.01). The proportions of premature births, low birth weight and very-low birth weight showed no statistically significant differences between immigrant and Spanish mothers (15 vs. 10.6, 6.4 vs. 9.4, and 2.1 vs. 1.5, respectively, p > 0.05 in all comparisons). Perinatal complications, including an Apgar score ≤ 6, and the need for admission to the neonatal unit or to the intensive or intermediate care units, were not more frequent in the newborns of immigrant mothers. Immigrant women had less social or family support after delivery and maternity leave was much less frequent (62% vs. 90%, p < 0.001)

Conclusions

Most of the immigrant women had healthy pregnancies and healthy birth outcomes. Perinatal complications do not seem to be more frequent among immigrant women. Differences were found in social support. To improve the health of these children, social support to immigrant women and their children should be intensified

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