Abstract
BackgroundMaternal and reproductive health remains a significant public health issue in Myanmar. Little data exists on women’s health issues, including social and demographic influences. While past studies have demonstrated rural/urban health disparities, an increasingly important population resulting from urban growth in Myanmar is the internal migrant population, individuals moving within the country for better job or educational opportunities. Past studies suggest that women make up more than half of internal migrants, yet there is a dearth of information on this new wave of migration, particularly on women’s reproductive health issues. The objective of this study is to assess the influence of women’s migration in Myanmar on reproductive health outcomes, including delivering in a facility, using a skilled birth attendant, and using a modern method of family planning.MethodsData from a cross-sectional household survey using multistage cluster sampling design conducted between September to October 2014 was used to assess the accessibility and the use of maternal and child health products and services. A total of 1800 currently married women of reproductive age, including 348 from urban and 1452 from rural areas, were recruited to complete surveys. A set of multivariable regressions was performed to assess reproductive health outcomes and predictors.ResultsAcross health indicators, female migrants had better health outcomes compared to non-migrants. Controlling for demographic characteristics, migrants were 1.60 times more likely to use a modern form of family planning compared to non-migrants (p < 0.01) and use antenatal care during pregnancy (p < 0.05). While not statistically significant, migrants were 1.29 times more likely to deliver with a skilled attendant and 1.08 times more likely to deliver in a facility.ConclusionsThis study found that female migrants in Myanmar reported better health outcomes compared to non-migrant women in regards to family planning and maternal health. Future research should focus on monitoring the outcomes of migrants and their children over time to assess long-term impacts.
Highlights
Maternal and reproductive health remains a significant public health issue in Myanmar
While past studies have demonstrated rural/ urban health disparities, an increasingly important population resulting from urban growth is the internal migrant population, individuals moving within the country for better job or educational opportunities
Studies suggest that women are making up an increasingly large proportion of migrants, with more than half of internal migrants (54 %) being women [6]; there is a dearth of information on this new wave of migration, on women’s reproductive health issues
Summary
Maternal and reproductive health remains a significant public health issue in Myanmar. While past studies have demonstrated rural/urban health disparities, an increasingly important population resulting from urban growth in Myanmar is the internal migrant population, individuals moving within the country for better job or educational opportunities. While past studies have demonstrated rural/ urban health disparities, an increasingly important population resulting from urban growth is the internal migrant population, individuals moving within the country for better job or educational opportunities. Much of the migration literature in Myanmar to date has highlighted stressful migratory flows, including a significant literature on refugee settlements on the Thai/Myanmar border [2, 3], environmental migration due to natural disasters [4], and ethnic conflict and tension [5] These migratory flows may no longer reflect the new wave of migration occurring today in Myanmar. Studies suggest that women are making up an increasingly large proportion of migrants, with more than half of internal migrants (54 %) being women [6]; there is a dearth of information on this new wave of migration, on women’s reproductive health issues
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