Abstract
Our objectives were to determine whether migrant women in Western industrialized countries have higher odds of inadequate
prenatal care (PNC) compared to receiving-country women and to summarize factors that are associated with inadequate PNC among
migrant women in these countries. We conducted searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO), reference
lists, known experts, and an existing database of the Reproductive Outcomes And Migration international research collaboration
for articles published between January, 1995 and April, 2010. Title and abstract review and quality appraisal were conducted
independently by 2 reviewers using established criteria, with consensus achieved through discussion. In this systematic review
of 29 studies, the majority of studies demonstrated that migrant women were more likely to receive inadequate PNC than receiving-country
women, with most reporting moderate to large effect sizes. Rates of inadequate PNC among migrant women varied widely by country
of birth. Only three studies explored predictors of inadequate PNC among migrant women. These studies found that inadequate
PNC among migrant women was associated with being less than 20 years of age, multiparous, single, having poor or fair language
proficiency, education less than 5 years, an unplanned pregnancy, and not having health insurance. We concluded that migrant
women as a whole were more likely to have inadequate PNC and the magnitude of this risk differed by country of origin. Few
studies addressed predictors of PNC utilization in migrant women and this limits our ability to provide effective PNC in this
population.
prenatal care (PNC) compared to receiving-country women and to summarize factors that are associated with inadequate PNC among
migrant women in these countries. We conducted searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO), reference
lists, known experts, and an existing database of the Reproductive Outcomes And Migration international research collaboration
for articles published between January, 1995 and April, 2010. Title and abstract review and quality appraisal were conducted
independently by 2 reviewers using established criteria, with consensus achieved through discussion. In this systematic review
of 29 studies, the majority of studies demonstrated that migrant women were more likely to receive inadequate PNC than receiving-country
women, with most reporting moderate to large effect sizes. Rates of inadequate PNC among migrant women varied widely by country
of birth. Only three studies explored predictors of inadequate PNC among migrant women. These studies found that inadequate
PNC among migrant women was associated with being less than 20 years of age, multiparous, single, having poor or fair language
proficiency, education less than 5 years, an unplanned pregnancy, and not having health insurance. We concluded that migrant
women as a whole were more likely to have inadequate PNC and the magnitude of this risk differed by country of origin. Few
studies addressed predictors of PNC utilization in migrant women and this limits our ability to provide effective PNC in this
population.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-21
- DOI 10.1007/s10995-012-1058-z
- Authors
- M. Heaman, CIHR Chair in Gender and Health, Faculty of Nursing, Helen Glass Centre for Nursing, University of Manitoba, Room 268, 89 Curry Place, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- H. Bayrampour, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- D. Kingston, Faculty of Nursing, 5-258 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, University of Alberta, 11405-87th Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
- B. Blondel, Unité de Recherche Epidémiologique sur la Santé périnatale et la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants, Epidemiological Research Unit on Perinatal Health and Women and Children Health, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM U953), Hopital Saint-Vincent de Paul, Batiment Lelong-porte 5, 82, avenue Denfert Rochereau, 75014 Paris, France
- M. Gissler, Information Division, THL National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O.BOX 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
- C. Roth, Director of Undergraduate Programmes, Lead Midwife for Education, Clinical Education Centre, Keele University, Newcastle Road, Newcastle, ST4 6QG UK
- S. Alexander, PERU (Perinatal Epidemiology and Reproductive Health Unit), Ecole de Santé Publique, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 808 route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- A. Gagnon, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Nursing, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, 3506, rue University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Journal Maternal and Child Health Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-6628
- Print ISSN 1092-7875