Purpose: Publications based on data from perinatal health registries reported worse perinatal health outcomes among women of Turkish origin. The aim of this study was to compare the perinatal outcomes of women of German and Turkish origin in Berlin in two time periods and to analyze if the situation among the women of Turkish origin has improved over time. Methods: Datasets of all singleton deliveries from Berlin hospitals for the time periods 1993-1997 (n = 144,600) and 2003-2007 (n = 147,559) were used. Incidence rates resp. prevalences of perinatal health outcomes were computed for women of German and a group of immigrant women mostly of Turkish origin stratified for 'parity' and 'having a partner'. Logistic regression models were computed to test for a change in the odds for adverse perinatal outcomes over time. Results: The chances for adverse perinatal outcomes were decreasing in the later time period for most measures. For stillbirth, preterm birth and congenital malformations, no differences between women of Turkish and German origin could be found. Differences exist in the utilization of perinatal health care and in the risk for anemia. Among women of Turkish origin, the chance for being anemic is even higher in 2003-2007 compared to 1993-1997. Conclusions: The perinatal health measures of women of Turkish origin have improved over time. The lower utilization rates of antenatal health care could be the expression of barriers to access the health care for pregnant women with migration background as offered in Germany. A risk group which needs a special focus by health care providers are women without a partner, irrespective of their origin. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Changes over time Germany Perinatal outcomes Turkish immigrants

Germany immigrant primipara Registries prenatal care Maternal Age Pregnancy Complications human risk assessment Middle East Premature Birth ethnic group controlled study comparative study premature labor marriage Humans anemia smoking Adolescent consultation Infant, Newborn Emigrants and Immigrants female German Turkish Congenital Abnormalities Risk Factors perinatal outcome congenital malformation pregnancy high risk population Infant, Low Birth Weight prevalence Incidence time series analysis Article health care utilization low birth weight pregnancy outcome adult Africa, Northern single parent health care access North Africa Turkey outcome assessment age distribution Perinatal Care pregnant woman stillbirth multipara parity Berlin