Neonatal outcomes for immigrant vs. native-born mothers in Taiwan: an epidemiological paradox.

Publisher: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9715672 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-6628 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10927875 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Matern Child Health J Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 1999- : New York, NY : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
Original Publication: New York : Plenum Press, c1997-

Birth Weight* ; Mothers*; Asian People/*statistics & numerical data ; Emigrants and Immigrants/*statistics & numerical data ; Perinatal Care/*statistics & numerical data ; Pregnancy Outcome/*ethnology; Adult ; China/ethnology ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Population Surveillance ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Taiwan/epidemiology ; Vietnam/ethnology ; Young Adult

In Taiwan, immigrant women by marriage face social discrimination due to widespread impressions that they give birth to low birth weight, high-risk, high cost babies due to their lower socioeconomic status, shorter stature, and lower pre-pregnant weight than native-born Taiwanese women. This study compared crude and adjusted birth outcomes of immigrant mothers (Chinese and Vietnamese) relative to native-born Taiwanese, and tested for the phenomenon of an epidemiological paradox of favorable neonatal outcomes among immigrants. Data from patient charts of all singleton live births during 2002-2007, weighing ≥500 and <4,000 g, and ≥20 weeks gestational age at a regional hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, were used. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis controlling for maternal characteristics (demographics, national origin, obstetric and prenatal factors) and neonatal characteristics (birth weight, gestational age). Of 3,267 births satisfying the inclusion criteria, 19.0% were to Chinese and Vietnamese mothers. Crude birth weight was lowest for Taiwanese mothers, who also had the highest rate of preterm delivery (<37 weeks). The adjusted birth weight for Chinese and Vietnamese mothers was 87.7 and 74.7 g higher, respectively than native-born Taiwanese (both P < 0.001). Chinese and Vietnamese mothers also had lower odds of preterm birth (ORs 0.46 and 0.47, respectively). Findings support paradoxically better neonatal outcomes among Chinese and Vietnamese immigrant mothers in Taiwan. Findings can be used to initiate public education to reverse the widespread negative perceptions and attitudes towards immigrant spouses in Taiwan.

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Date Created: 20100501 Date Completed: 20110318 Latest Revision: 20221207

20231215

10.1007/s10995-010-0612-9

20432059