Increased perinatal mortality among sub‐Saharan immigrants in a city‐population in Sweden

• DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0412.2000.079009737.x
• Publication Date: 2003-03-11T03:00:55Z
• Authors: BIRGITTA ESSÉN; BERTIL S. HANSON; PER‐OLOF ÖSTERGREN; PELLE G. LINDQUIST; SAEMUNDUR GUDMUND...
• Keywords: Placental abruption

Background. The aim of the study was to investigate whether maternal country origin affected risk for perinatal mortality and determine its relationship factors. Methods. A 15,639 deliveries in Malmö, Sweden. Data regarding demographic factors, life‐style together with data pertaining outcome obtained from Malmö database Swedish Medical Birth Register. Results. Perinatal increased among infants women Foreign as compared those delivered by (OR 1.5, CI 1.0–2.2). Even after adjustments background factors (diabetes, anemia, pre‐eclampsia, placental abruption small‐for‐gestational age), remained statistically significant. Women sub‐Saharan Africa, comprising 7.3% all immigrants, differed other subgroups foreign having a higher adverse (small‐for‐gestational age OR 1.9, 1.0–3.6, neonatal distress 2.7, 5.1–4.8 4.3, 2.1–8.6). Conclusions. origin, especially have than native women. differences could not be explained results suggest that newborns Africa should given more intense surveillance on levels care order reduce mortality.