Clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of Syrian refugees: a case-control study in a tertiary care hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.

Abstract

We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in women who are Syrian refugees and Turkish women who are non-refugees at a maternity center in Istanbul, Turkey. A total of 600 singleton pregnancies who delivered at Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. Demographic data, obstetrical history, clinical findings, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes were compared between 300 Syrian refugees and 300 control patients. The Syrian refugee patients were significantly younger than Turkish patients. The percentage of adolescents aged 12-19years were significantly higher in the Syrian patients (14.3 vs. 5.3%, p<0,001). 41.3% of the refugee patients had no antenatal care. However, this ratio was only 7.7% for the control group (p<0.001). Preterm birth rates showed no difference between the groups, however, postterm birth rates were significantly higher in the control group. Low Birthweight (<2500gr), oligohydramnios, stillbirth and fetal anomaly rates were not different between the two groups. In comparison to non-refugee control patients, refugee women in our study had poor antenatal care but no adverse perinatal outcomes were observed. Further larger multicenter studies may provide more convincing data about obstetric outcomes in the Syrian refugee population as well as adolescent pregnancies in this population.