The study aimed to assess the number of medically indicated and elective cesarean deliveries among foreign-born and native-born mothers in Taiwan. National Health Insurance (NHI) inpatient datasets in Taiwan between 2001 and 2003 showed 673,830 singleton deliveries, of which 66,687 were to foreign-born mothers and 607,143 were to Taiwan-born mothers. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of using inpatient services for medically indicated and elective cesarean delivery. During the study period, foreign-born mothers were significantly less likely to undergo medically indicated (odds ratio [OR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.79-0.85) and elective (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.47-0.53) cesarean delivery than Taiwanborn mothers after adjusting for clinical and nonclinical factors. Foreign-born mothers aged 18-50 years are less likely to undergo medically indicated and elective cesarean delivery under Taiwan's NHI coverage. As the birth rate for immigrant women increases, cross-cultural maternity care during pregnancy and childbirth for immigrant mothers needs to be addressed. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.

Medically indicated cesarean delivery Elective cesarean delivery Foreign-born mothers Taiwan

cultural anthropology National Health Programs Culture Asian Maternal Age pregnancy complication Pregnancy Complications Population Surveillance human middle aged statistics Asian continental ancestry group Logistic Models ethnology Taiwan Young Adult Humans Cross-Cultural Comparison Adolescent Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics pregnancy Mothers cultural factor Article pregnancy outcome mother adult migration Utilization Review Likelihood Functions statistical model cesarean section public health health survey