Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 19, Issue 1, 2017, Pages 205-214

Revisiting the Healthy Migrant Paradox in Perinatal Health Outcomes Through a Scoping Review in a Recent Host Country (Article)

Juárez S.P.* , Ortiz-Barreda G. , Agudelo-Suárez A.A. , Ronda-Pérez E.
  • a Centre for Health Equity Studies, Stockholm University/Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden
  • b Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Public Health Research Group, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
  • c Public Health Research Group, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain, Faculty of Dentristry, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia
  • d Public Health Research Group, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain, CIBERESP Immigration and Health Subprogram, Madrid, Spain, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBER, Barcelona, Spain, Center for Research in Occupational Health (Cisal), Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract

Ample evidence shows that, in many developed countries, immigrants have similar or better perinatal health outcomes than natives despite facing socioeconomic disadvantages in the host country (“healthy migrant paradox” –HMP). This scoping review aims to: (1) summarize the literature on perinatal health among immigrants and natives in Spain and (2) examine whether there is evidence of the HMP in a context of recent migration. A total of 25 articles published between 1998 and 2014 were reviewed. Overall, we found evidence of the HMP in low birthweight and to a lesser extent in preterm, though the patterns vary by origin, but not in macrosomia and post-term. The results are consistent across settings, levels of adjustment, and birth year. Policies should be oriented towards identifying the modifiable risk factors leading to a higher risk of macrosomia and post-term among immigrants. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

immigrants gestational age Perinatal health Birthweight Spain

Index Keywords

human epidemiology Premature Birth statistics and numerical data ethnology Humans migrant Infant, Newborn Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female Socioeconomic Factors risk factor Risk Factors newborn socioeconomics pregnancy Infant, Low Birth Weight child health low birth weight pregnancy outcome prematurity Infant Health Fetal Macrosomia macrosomia
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84948179920&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0317-7&partnerID=40&md5=49a6bc745c7c159c4bcff845c035d00a
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0317-7
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English