Objectives: Women who are refugees during pregnancy may be exposed to homelessness, poor nutrition, and limited access to health care, yet the pregnancy outcomes of this vulnerable population have not been systematically evaluated. We undertook a study to determine the risk of adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes among refugee women in Toronto. Methods: Using a retrospective cohort design, we examined pregnancy outcomes for refugee and non-refugee women delivering at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2010. The primary outcome measures were preterm delivery (< 37 weeks' gestational age), low birth weight (< 2500 g), and delivery by Caesarean section. Results: Multiparous refugee women had a significantly higher rate of delivery by Caesarean section (36.4%), and a 1.5-fold increase in rate of low birth weight infants when compared with non-refugee women. In subgroup analysis by region of origin, women from Sub-Saharan Africa had significantly higher rates of low birth weight infants and Caesarean section than non-refugee control subjects. Further, compared with non-refugee control subjects, refugee women had significantly increased rates of prior Caesarean section, HIV-positive status, homelessness, social isolation, and delays in accessing prenatal care. Conclusions: Refugee women constitute a higher-risk population with increased rates of adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes. These findings provide preliminary data to guide targeted public health interventions towards meeting the needs for obstetric care of this vulnerable population. Recent changes to the Interim Federal Health Program have highlighted the importance of identifying and diminishing disparities in health outcomes between refugee and non-refugee populations. © 2014 Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Refugee health pregnancy outcomes Preterm delivery

HIV Infections refugee prenatal care Human immunodeficiency virus infection health disparity Health Status Disparities pregnancy complication Pregnancy Complications human social isolation Refugees Cohort Studies perinatal period statistics pregnancy outcomes refugee health controlled study preterm delivery premature labor Young Adult population risk Humans Infant, Newborn Canada female newborn pregnancy Infant, Low Birth Weight Article Retrospective Studies low birth weight pregnancy outcome Ontario adult health care access outcome assessment cohort analysis multipara parity retrospective study homelessness cesarean section gestational age