Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study
Abstract Background International research suggests that immigrants face poorer access to antenatal care, but comprehensive nationwide studies identifying variations across immigrant groups are lacking. Using national registries like the Medical Birth Registry, we compared antenatal care utilization...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07519-x |
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| author | Torill A. Rotevatn Nina Høy-Petersen Lema Hussaini Siri E. Håberg Maria C. Magnus Nils-Halvdan Morken Knut-Arne Wensaas Eva Marie Flaathen Rannveig Kaldager Hart |
| author_facet | Torill A. Rotevatn Nina Høy-Petersen Lema Hussaini Siri E. Håberg Maria C. Magnus Nils-Halvdan Morken Knut-Arne Wensaas Eva Marie Flaathen Rannveig Kaldager Hart |
| author_sort | Torill A. Rotevatn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background International research suggests that immigrants face poorer access to antenatal care, but comprehensive nationwide studies identifying variations across immigrant groups are lacking. Using national registries like the Medical Birth Registry, we compared antenatal care utilization among immigrant women by country/region of origin to Norwegian women. Methods We included 348,547 singleton births between 2012–2018 by women aged ≥ 16 years registered with ≥ 1 antenatal consultation in primary care, including 79,671 (22.9%) births by immigrant women. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using both crude and adjusted logistic regression models, assessing the likelihood of immigrant women having fewer consultations than recommended by national guidelines compared to Norwegian women per trimester. Estimates were adjusted for relevant sociodemographic variables. Results Large country-specific differences in estimates were noted across all trimesters. In the crude models, Eritrean (OR 3.01 [95%CI: 2.76–3.28]), Somali (OR 2.63 [95%CI: 2.48–2.79]) and Ethiopian (OR 1.90 [95%CI: 1.67–2.16]) women, and women from other Sub-Saharan countries (OR 1.92 [95%CI: 1.77–2.08]), had the highest odds of initiating antenatal care later than the first trimester. In later trimesters, care utilization by immigrants and Norwegian women were more similar, except for lower utilization among Somali women. Sociodemographic variables explained much of the observed differences. Conclusion Late initiation and substandard utilization of antenatal care among certain immigrant groups exists in Norway. Timely access to antenatal care is important for maternal and child health. Efforts should be initiated to facilitate earlier initiation of antenatal care, particularly among Eritrean, Somali, Ethiopian and other Sub-Saharan women. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-255da3ca114344f38e0717af3b9cf2c4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj-art-255da3ca114344f38e0717af3b9cf2c42025-08-20T02:12:03ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932025-04-0125111510.1186/s12884-025-07519-xUtilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort studyTorill A. Rotevatn0Nina Høy-Petersen1Lema Hussaini2Siri E. Håberg3Maria C. Magnus4Nils-Halvdan Morken5Knut-Arne Wensaas6Eva Marie Flaathen7Rannveig Kaldager Hart8Division of Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthDivision of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthDivision of Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthCentre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthCentre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University HospitalResearch Unit for General Practice, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre ASDepartment of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan UniversityCentre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public HealthAbstract Background International research suggests that immigrants face poorer access to antenatal care, but comprehensive nationwide studies identifying variations across immigrant groups are lacking. Using national registries like the Medical Birth Registry, we compared antenatal care utilization among immigrant women by country/region of origin to Norwegian women. Methods We included 348,547 singleton births between 2012–2018 by women aged ≥ 16 years registered with ≥ 1 antenatal consultation in primary care, including 79,671 (22.9%) births by immigrant women. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using both crude and adjusted logistic regression models, assessing the likelihood of immigrant women having fewer consultations than recommended by national guidelines compared to Norwegian women per trimester. Estimates were adjusted for relevant sociodemographic variables. Results Large country-specific differences in estimates were noted across all trimesters. In the crude models, Eritrean (OR 3.01 [95%CI: 2.76–3.28]), Somali (OR 2.63 [95%CI: 2.48–2.79]) and Ethiopian (OR 1.90 [95%CI: 1.67–2.16]) women, and women from other Sub-Saharan countries (OR 1.92 [95%CI: 1.77–2.08]), had the highest odds of initiating antenatal care later than the first trimester. In later trimesters, care utilization by immigrants and Norwegian women were more similar, except for lower utilization among Somali women. Sociodemographic variables explained much of the observed differences. Conclusion Late initiation and substandard utilization of antenatal care among certain immigrant groups exists in Norway. Timely access to antenatal care is important for maternal and child health. Efforts should be initiated to facilitate earlier initiation of antenatal care, particularly among Eritrean, Somali, Ethiopian and other Sub-Saharan women.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07519-xAntenatal careImmigrantsHealth care utilizationObservational studyNorway |
| spellingShingle | Torill A. Rotevatn Nina Høy-Petersen Lema Hussaini Siri E. Håberg Maria C. Magnus Nils-Halvdan Morken Knut-Arne Wensaas Eva Marie Flaathen Rannveig Kaldager Hart Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Antenatal care Immigrants Health care utilization Observational study Norway |
| title | Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study |
| title_full | Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study |
| title_short | Utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in Norway: a nationwide register-based cohort study |
| title_sort | utilization of antenatal care among immigrant women in norway a nationwide register based cohort study |
| topic | Antenatal care Immigrants Health care utilization Observational study Norway |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07519-x |
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