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01-09-2014

Maternal Mortality Among Migrants in Western Europe: A Meta-Analysis

Authors: Grete Skøtt Pedersen, Anders Grøntved, Laust Hvas Mortensen, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen, Janet Rich-Edwards

Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal | Issue 7/2014

Abstract

To examine whether an excess risk of maternal mortality exists among migrant women in Western Europe. We searched electronic databases for studies published 1970 through 2013 for all observational studies comparing maternal mortality between the host country and a defined migrant population. Results were derived from a random-effects meta-analysis, and statistical heterogeneity assessed by the I ² statistic. In sub-analyses we also calculated summary estimates stratified by direct and indirect death causes. We included 13 studies with more than 42 million women and 4,995 maternal deaths. Compared with indigenous born women, the pooled risk estimate (RR) was 2.00 with 95 % confidence interval (CI) of 1.72, 2.33. Migrant women had a non-significantly higher risk of dying from direct than indirect death causes; pooled RRs of 2.65 CI 1.88, 3.74 and 1.83 CI 1.37, 2.45. This meta-analysis provides evidence that migrant women in Western European countries have an excess risk of maternal mortality.

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Title: Maternal Mortality Among Migrants in Western Europe: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Grete Skøtt Pedersen
Anders Grøntved
Laust Hvas Mortensen
Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
Janet Rich-Edwards
Publication date: 01-09-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Maternal and Child Health Journal / Issue 7/2014
Print ISSN: 1092-7875
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6628
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-013-1403-x

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Maternal Mortality Among Migrants in Western Europe: A Meta-Analysis

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