Factors Influencing on Perinatal Outcomes of Asian Marriage Immigrant Women: Ten-year Experience in a Single Center

Abstract

Purpose : We aimed to analyze the maternal and perinatal factors associated with perinatal outcomes by exa­ mining families comprised of Korean fathers, Asian immigrant mothers, and their newborns. Method : Medical records of newborn infants admitted to Jeonju Jesus Hospital nursery or ne­onatal intensive care unit (NICU) from January 2004 to June 2013 and their Asian immigrant mothers were reviewed retro­ spec tively. The newborns were divided into two groups depending on whether they were admitted NICU or not, and factors influencing on perinatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. The newborn were divided into the two groups, including those who did not receive inpatient care and those treated in the NICU. The differences between the two groups were analyzed. Results : The study included 180 newborns and 172 mothers, and 94 (52.3%) and 86 (47.7%) newborns were classified as the nursery group and the NICU group, respectively. There were no statistically significant diffe­ rences between the two groups in terms of the mothers’ nationality, maternal age, maternal education level, maternal occupation, residential area, maternal height and weight, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, maternal hepatitis B antigen positivity, maternal parity, paternal age, and age gap between spouses. However, underweight maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin level over 11.0 g/dL were signi­ ficantly more frequent in the NICU group in the comparative analysis. The NICU group showed significantly more frequent no iron supplements during pregnancy (OR=4.06) and gestational disease (OR=3.81). Conclusion : In cases where married immigrant mothers had underweight prepregnancy BMI, gestational dis­ ease, or no iron supplements during pregnancy, their newborns were more likely to have NICU care. Therefore, married immigrant women should have appropriate perinatal care including education about a balanced diet to maintain an appropriate body weight with ensuring an adequate iron supplements intake.