Pregnancy outcomes of Southeast Asian immigrant pregnant women compared with Thai pregnant women in Rajavithi Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the pregnancy outcomes of Southeast Asian immigrant women compared to native Thai women in Rajavithi Hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on singleton Southeast Asian immigrant pregnant women in Thailand between January 2007 and December 2008.

RESULTS

One thousand two hundred sixty immigrant pregnant women and 5040 controls were included. After adjusting the odds ratio, the cesarean section rate, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admission of immigrant women are not different from native-born women. The incidence of low Apgar score at 5 minutes and perinatal death were significantly lower in the study group with an odds ratio of 0.506 (95% CI 0.29-0.89) and 0.295 (95% CI 0.10-0.83), respectively. Low birth weight was higher in the study group with an odds ratio of 1.707 (95% CI 1.45-2.01).

CONCLUSION

In Thailand, the cesarean section rate, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admission of immigrant women are not different from native-born women. Foreign-born status confers a protective effect for low Apgar score at 5 minutes and perinatal death. However, the incidence of low birth weight in foreign-born women is higher than native-born women.