Background: Despite large numbers of asylum seekers, there is a lack of evidence on pregnancy outcomes and obstetric care of asylum seeking women in Germany. Methods: Cross-sectional study (2010-2016) using administrative data of the main referral hospital for pregnant asylum seekers of the reception center of a large federal state in South Germany. Inclusion criteria: women aged 12-50 years, admitted in relation to pregnancy, childbirth or post-partum complications. Outcomes: differences between asylum seekers and residents in the prevalence of high-risk pregnancy conditions, abortive outcomes/stillbirths, peri- and postnatal maternal complications, neonatal complications, and caesarean sections. Analysis: odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) obtained by single and multiple logistic regression analysis. Attributable fractions among the exposed (Afe) and among the total population (Afp) were calculated for selected outcomes. Results: Of 19,864 women admitted in relation to pregnancy, childbirth or post-partum complications, 2.9% (n = 569) were asylum seekers. Adjusted odds for high-risk pregnancy conditions (OR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.63-0.91, p < 0.0001), caesarean sections (OR = 0.84, 95%CI 0.66-1.07, p = 0.17) and perinatal complications (OR = 0.65, 95%CI: 0.55-0.78, p < 0.0001) were lower; those for abortive outcomes/stillbirths (OR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.11-2.20, p = 0.01) and postnatal complications (OR = 1.80, 95%CI: 0.93-3.19, p = 0.06) higher among asylum seeking women relative to residents in models adjusted for age, length of admission, and high-risk pregnancy conditions. The Afe for abortive outcomes and stillbirths among asylum seekers was 40.3% (95% CI, 16.3-56.5) and the Afp was 1.8%. The Afe for postnatal complications was 53.1% (95% CI, 7.1-74.0) and the Afp was 3.1%. Conclusion: Asylum seeking women are at higher risk of abortive outcomes/stillbirths and show a tendency towards higher postnatal complications. This excess risk calls for adequate responses by health care providers and policy makers to improve outpatient postnatal care in reception centers and mitigate adverse birth outcomes among asylum seeking women. Although further research is needed, scaling-up midwivery care, improving outreach by maternity care teams, and routinely identifying and addressing mental illness by psychosocial services could be ways forward to improve outcomes in this population. © 2018 The Author(s).

Migration health inequality Asylum seekers Reception center Pregnancy outcome Social epidemiology Caesarian section Maternity care Stillbirth Postnatal care

hospital admission Germany refugee pregnancy complication Pregnancy Complications human risk assessment Refugees middle aged statistics and numerical data controlled study length of stay Cross-Sectional Studies asylum seeker Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent female pregnancy prevalence Article pregnancy outcome major clinical study adult outcome assessment Perinatal Care abortion high risk pregnancy stillbirth postnatal care obstetric procedure Healthcare Disparities health care disparity cesarean section Child