European Journal of Public Health
Volume 14, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 381-383

Birthweight differences among infants of North African immigrants and Belgians in Belgium (Article) (Open Access)

Vahratian A.* , Buekens P. , Delvaux T. , Boutsen M. , Wang Y. , Kupper L.L.
  • a Dept. of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Univ. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Div. of Epidemiol. Stat./Prev. Res., Natl. Inst. Child Hlth./Hum. Devmt., National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
  • b School of Public Health, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
  • c STD/HIV Res. and Intervention Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
  • d Dept. of Epidemiol. and Social Med., School of Public Health, Free University of Brussels, Belgium
  • e Collaborative Research Unit, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States
  • f Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Univ. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Abstract

Background: Infants of North African immigrants are reported to have higher birthweights than their Belgian counterparts. It is unclear what mechanism contributes to this difference. Methods: Analyses were based on a hospital-based cohort of 1,162 women. Results: Infants of North African immigrants were less likely to be born preterm, compared to infants of Belgian women. After adjusting for sociodemographic and maternal factors, the estimated difference in mean birthweight was 74 g (p=0.05). When limited to term births, this difference was 28 g (p=0.42). Conclusion: The difference in mean birthweight between North African and Belgian infants was explained by differences in preterm birth and other risk factors.

Author Keywords

smoking Birthweight immigrants Preterm birth

Index Keywords

immigrant prenatal care Maternal Age follow up human Cohort Studies Premature Birth Cigarette Smoking priority journal Humans Infant, Newborn female Socioeconomic Factors Infant tobacco Risk Factors Africa pregnancy Belgium Infant, Low Birth Weight Article low birth weight pregnancy outcome major clinical study adult Africa, Northern prematurity Hospitals Emigration and Immigration Patient Acceptance of Health Care Birth Weight gestational age
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-13244249500&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2f14.4.381&partnerID=40&md5=e64125386f85373ec94831dbc625b8bb
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/14.4.381
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 27
Original Language: English