TY - JOUR
T1 - Obstetric care in a migrant population with free access to health care
AU - Almeida, Lígia M.
AU - Santos, Cristina C.
AU - Caldas, José P.
AU - Ayres-De-Campos, Diogo
AU - Dias, Sónia
N1 - PubMed ID:24852705
WOS:000340983400012
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Objective To evaluate differences in obstetric care between immigrant and native women in a country with free access to health care. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out of immigrant mothers delivering in one of the four public hospitals in the Porto, Portugal, metropolitan area between February and December 2012. The comparison group included native Portuguese mothers who delivered in the same institutions. The participants (89 immigrant mothers and 188 Portuguese mothers) were recruited by telephone and completed a written questionnaire during a home visit. Results Immigrant women were more likely to have their first pregnancy appointment after 12 weeks of pregnancy (27.0% vs 14.4%, P = 0.011) and to have fewer than three prenatal visits (2.2% vs 0.0%, P <0.001). They were also more likely to have had a cesarean delivery (48.3% vs 31.4%, P = 0.023), perineal laceration (48.8% vs 11.6%, P <0.001), or postpartum hemorrhage (33.5% vs 12.3%, P <0.001). Conclusion Migrants were more prone to late prenatal care and to intrapartum complications. Unsatisfactory interactions with healthcare staff may play an important role in these findings.
AB - Objective To evaluate differences in obstetric care between immigrant and native women in a country with free access to health care. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out of immigrant mothers delivering in one of the four public hospitals in the Porto, Portugal, metropolitan area between February and December 2012. The comparison group included native Portuguese mothers who delivered in the same institutions. The participants (89 immigrant mothers and 188 Portuguese mothers) were recruited by telephone and completed a written questionnaire during a home visit. Results Immigrant women were more likely to have their first pregnancy appointment after 12 weeks of pregnancy (27.0% vs 14.4%, P = 0.011) and to have fewer than three prenatal visits (2.2% vs 0.0%, P <0.001). They were also more likely to have had a cesarean delivery (48.3% vs 31.4%, P = 0.023), perineal laceration (48.8% vs 11.6%, P <0.001), or postpartum hemorrhage (33.5% vs 12.3%, P <0.001). Conclusion Migrants were more prone to late prenatal care and to intrapartum complications. Unsatisfactory interactions with healthcare staff may play an important role in these findings.
KW - Immigrants
KW - Maternal health services
KW - Patient satisfaction
KW - Portugal
KW - Pregnancy complications
KW - Prenatal care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905584767&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2014.03.023
DO - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2014.03.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 24852705
AN - SCOPUS:84905584767
SN - 0020-7292
VL - 126
SP - 244
EP - 247
JO - International Journal Of Gynecology & Obstetrics
JF - International Journal Of Gynecology & Obstetrics
IS - 3
ER -