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Pregnancy Related Health Care Needs in Refugees—A Current Three Center Experience in Europe

Author

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  • Christian Dopfer

    (Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Annabelle Vakilzadeh

    (Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Christine Happle

    (Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Lung Research, Biomedical Research in End Stage and Obstructive Lung Disease/BREATH Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Evelyn Kleinert

    (Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Frank Müller

    (Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Diana Ernst

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Reinhold E. Schmidt

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Georg M. N. Behrens

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany)

  • Sonja Merkesdal

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany)

  • Martin Wetzke

    (Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alexandra Jablonka

    (Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
    German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Background: Immigration into Europe has reached an all-time high. Provision of coordinated healthcare, especially to refugee women that are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, is a challenge for receiving health care systems. Methods: We assessed pregnancy rates and associated primary healthcare needs in three refugee cohorts in Northern Germany during the current crisis. Results: Out of n = 2911 refugees, 18.0% were women of reproductive age, and 9.1% of these were pregnant. Pregnancy was associated with a significant, 3.7-fold increase in primary health care utilization. Language barrier and cultural customs impeded healthcare to some refugee pregnant women. The most common complaints were demand for pregnancy checkup without specific symptoms (48.6%), followed by abdominal pain or urinary tract infections (in 11.4% of cases each). In 4.2% of pregnancies, severe complications such as syphilis or suicide attempts occurred. Discussion: We present data on pregnancy rates and pregnancy associated medical need in three current refugee cohorts upon arrival in Germany. Healthcare providers should be particularly aware of the requirements of pregnant migrants and should adapt primary caretaking strategies accordingly.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Dopfer & Annabelle Vakilzadeh & Christine Happle & Evelyn Kleinert & Frank Müller & Diana Ernst & Reinhold E. Schmidt & Georg M. N. Behrens & Sonja Merkesdal & Martin Wetzke & Alexandra Jabl, 2018. "Pregnancy Related Health Care Needs in Refugees—A Current Three Center Experience in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:9:p:1934-:d:167939
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gagnon, A.J. & Zimbeck, M. & Zeitlin, J., 2009. "Migration to western industrialised countries and perinatal health: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 934-946, September.
    2. Isabella Buber-Ennser & Judith Kohlenberger & Bernhard Rengs & Zakarya Al Zalak & Anne Goujon & Erich Striessnig & Michaela Potančoková & Richard Gisser & Maria Rita Testa & Wolfgang Lutz, 2016. "Human Capital, Values, and Attitudes of Persons Seeking Refuge in Austria in 2015," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-29, September.
    3. Jimmy T. Efird & Pollie Bith-Melander, 2018. "Refugee Health: An Ongoing Commitment and Challenge," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-3, January.
    4. Karl Puchner & Evika Karamagioli & Anastasia Pikouli & Costas Tsiamis & Athanasios Kalogeropoulos & Eleni Kakalou & Elena Pavlidou & Emmanouil Pikoulis, 2018. "Time to Rethink Refugee and Migrant Health in Europe: Moving from Emergency Response to Integrated and Individualized Health Care Provision for Migrants and Refugees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-6, May.
    5. Alexandra Jablonka & Christian Dopfer & Christine Happle & Georgios Sogkas & Diana Ernst & Faranaz Atschekzei & Stefanie Hirsch & Annabelle Schäll & Adan Jirmo & Philipp Solbach & Reinhold Ernst Schmi, 2018. "Tuberculosis Specific Interferon-Gamma Production in a Current Refugee Cohort in Western Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-8, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martin Wetzke & Christine Happle & Annabelle Vakilzadeh & Diana Ernst & Georgios Sogkas & Reinhold E. Schmidt & Georg M. N. Behrens & Christian Dopfer & Alexandra Jablonka, 2018. "Healthcare Utilization in a Large Cohort of Asylum Seekers Entering Western Europe in 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-9, October.
    2. Osnat Keidar & David S. Srivastava & Emmanouil Pikoulis & Aristomenis K. Exadaktylos, 2019. "Health of Refugees and Migrants—Where Do We Stand and What Directions Should We Take?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-8, April.
    3. Sukhjeet Bains & Johanne Sundby & Benedikte V. Lindskog & Siri Vangen & Ingvil K. Sørbye, 2021. "Newly Arrived Migrant Women’s Experience of Maternity Health Information: A Face-to-Face Questionnaire Study in Norway," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-12, July.
    4. Frank Müller & Eva Hummers & Eva Maria Noack, 2020. "Medical Characteristics of Foreign Language Patients in Paramedic Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-9, August.
    5. Esperanza López-Domene & José Granero-Molina & Cayetano Fernández-Sola & José Manuel Hernández-Padilla & María del Mar López-Rodríguez & Isabel María Fernández-Medina & Maria Dolores Guerra-Martín & M, 2019. "Emergency Care for Women Irregular Migrants Who Arrive in Spain by Small Boat: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-13, September.
    6. Frank Müller & Eva Hummers & Nele Hillermann & Christian Dopfer & Alexandra Jablonka & Tim Friede & Anne Simmenroth & Martin Wetzke, 2020. "Factors Influencing the Frequency of Airway Infections in Underage Refugees: A Retrospective, Cross Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-9, September.

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