International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 15, Issue 9, 2018

Pregnancy related health care needs in refugees—a current three center experience in Europe (Article) (Open Access)

Dopfer C. , Vakilzadeh A. , Happle C. , Kleinert E. , Müller F. , Ernst D. , Schmidt R.E. , Behrens G.M.N. , Merkesdal S. , Wetzke M. , Jablonka A.*
  • a Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH Hannover, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • b Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • c Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH Hannover, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • d Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
  • e Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
  • f Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
  • g Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
  • h Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
  • i Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
  • j Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
  • k Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany

Abstract

Background: Immigration into Europe has reached an all-time high. Provision of coordinated healthcare, especially to refugee women that are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, is a challenge for receiving health care systems. Methods: We assessed pregnancy rates and associated primary healthcare needs in three refugee cohorts in Northern Germany during the current crisis. Results: Out of n = 2911 refugees, 18.0% were women of reproductive age, and 9.1% of these were pregnant. Pregnancy was associated with a significant, 3.7-fold increase in primary health care utilization. Language barrier and cultural customs impeded healthcare to some refugee pregnant women. The most common complaints were demand for pregnancy checkup without specific symptoms (48.6%), followed by abdominal pain or urinary tract infections (in 11.4% of cases each). In 4.2% of pregnancies, severe complications such as syphilis or suicide attempts occurred. Discussion: We present data on pregnancy rates and pregnancy associated medical need in three current refugee cohorts upon arrival in Germany. Healthcare providers should be particularly aware of the requirements of pregnant migrants and should adapt primary caretaking strategies accordingly. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Migration Health care provision Pregnancy Reception center Refugees

Index Keywords

Needs Assessment maternal care Germany immigrant refugee multicenter study urinary tract infection clinical trial abdominal pain medical examination human epidemiology Refugees pregnancy rate suicide attempt Pregnant Women language ethnology Humans Adolescent female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics pregnancy cultural factor Syphilis Article health care utilization pregnancy outcome major clinical study adult migration patient attitude pregnant woman Patient Acceptance of Health Care Cultural Characteristics health care need primary health care womens health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85053075217&doi=10.3390%2fijerph15091934&partnerID=40&md5=5459ec3ab7cd0803f0d6a2724c5dfd51
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15091934
ISSN: 16617827
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English