Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study

Abstract Background Socioeconomic disadvantaged circumstances are known to affect health outcomes, but during pregnancy it also affects the growth and development of the fetus. This often results in adverse perinatal outcomes and other long lasting effects. Here we refer to pregnant women living in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kajal S. C. Mohabier, Hanneke P. de Graaf, Eric A. P. Steegers, Loes C. M. Bertens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07401-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850201252243177472
author Kajal S. C. Mohabier
Hanneke P. de Graaf
Eric A. P. Steegers
Loes C. M. Bertens
author_facet Kajal S. C. Mohabier
Hanneke P. de Graaf
Eric A. P. Steegers
Loes C. M. Bertens
author_sort Kajal S. C. Mohabier
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Socioeconomic disadvantaged circumstances are known to affect health outcomes, but during pregnancy it also affects the growth and development of the fetus. This often results in adverse perinatal outcomes and other long lasting effects. Here we refer to pregnant women living in such circumstances as a highly vulnerable population. Objectives To study adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women within the Mothers of Rotterdam (MoR) study and to compare findings to the outcomes of women in the Netherlands as a whole and the city of Rotterdam. Methods Pregnancy and childbirth data from women participating in the MoR study (2015–2019) was requested from their obstetric professional. For comparison, data from the Dutch national birth registry (Perined) were used representing women in the Netherlands and Rotterdam. Main outcome measures were preterm birth (PTB) and small for gestational age (SGA). Secondary outcome measures were perinatal mortality and a low Apgar score. Only singleton viable pregnancies (i.e. birthweight above 500 g or born after 22 + 0 weeks of gestation) were included in this study. Prevalence rates and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for all outcomes in each group. Direct standardization was used to account for possible differences in case-mix composition between the studied groups. Results Data on 346 childbirths within the MoR study were retrieved and compared to 813,755 and 34,009 childbirths in the Netherlands and Rotterdam, respectively. The prevalence of PTB (4.34% (95%CI 2.19–6.48) was lower in the MoR population compared to both the Netherlands (6.21% (95%CI 6.16–6.27)) and Rotterdam (6.39% (95%CI 6.13–6.65)). The prevalence of SGA (21.09% (95% CI 16.80–25.40)) was higher in the MoR population compared to both the Netherlands (10.11% (95%CI 10.04–10.17)) and Rotterdam (13.28% (95%CI 12.92–13.65)). There were no cases of perinatal mortality registered in the MoR population. The prevalence of a low Apgar score (0.87% (95%CI 0.00–1.84)) was lower in the MoR population. Conclusions Our study found unexpected low PTB and high SGA prevalence rates in the MoR population compared to the Netherlands and Rotterdam. Mechanisms through which socioeconomic disadvantaged circumstances affect perinatal health seem to work differently in various strata of vulnerable populations.
format Article
id doaj-art-82ba7e16e9c64359b1b3c8f2a7b27f12
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-82ba7e16e9c64359b1b3c8f2a7b27f122025-08-20T02:12:03ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932025-04-012511910.1186/s12884-025-07401-wIncidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam studyKajal S. C. Mohabier0Hanneke P. de Graaf1Eric A. P. Steegers2Loes C. M. Bertens3Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus University Medical Centre RotterdamDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre RotterdamDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre RotterdamDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus University Medical Centre RotterdamAbstract Background Socioeconomic disadvantaged circumstances are known to affect health outcomes, but during pregnancy it also affects the growth and development of the fetus. This often results in adverse perinatal outcomes and other long lasting effects. Here we refer to pregnant women living in such circumstances as a highly vulnerable population. Objectives To study adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women within the Mothers of Rotterdam (MoR) study and to compare findings to the outcomes of women in the Netherlands as a whole and the city of Rotterdam. Methods Pregnancy and childbirth data from women participating in the MoR study (2015–2019) was requested from their obstetric professional. For comparison, data from the Dutch national birth registry (Perined) were used representing women in the Netherlands and Rotterdam. Main outcome measures were preterm birth (PTB) and small for gestational age (SGA). Secondary outcome measures were perinatal mortality and a low Apgar score. Only singleton viable pregnancies (i.e. birthweight above 500 g or born after 22 + 0 weeks of gestation) were included in this study. Prevalence rates and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for all outcomes in each group. Direct standardization was used to account for possible differences in case-mix composition between the studied groups. Results Data on 346 childbirths within the MoR study were retrieved and compared to 813,755 and 34,009 childbirths in the Netherlands and Rotterdam, respectively. The prevalence of PTB (4.34% (95%CI 2.19–6.48) was lower in the MoR population compared to both the Netherlands (6.21% (95%CI 6.16–6.27)) and Rotterdam (6.39% (95%CI 6.13–6.65)). The prevalence of SGA (21.09% (95% CI 16.80–25.40)) was higher in the MoR population compared to both the Netherlands (10.11% (95%CI 10.04–10.17)) and Rotterdam (13.28% (95%CI 12.92–13.65)). There were no cases of perinatal mortality registered in the MoR population. The prevalence of a low Apgar score (0.87% (95%CI 0.00–1.84)) was lower in the MoR population. Conclusions Our study found unexpected low PTB and high SGA prevalence rates in the MoR population compared to the Netherlands and Rotterdam. Mechanisms through which socioeconomic disadvantaged circumstances affect perinatal health seem to work differently in various strata of vulnerable populations.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07401-wSocioeconomic disadvantageVulnerable populationsPregnancyAdverse pregnancy outcomesPreterm birthSmall for gestational age
spellingShingle Kajal S. C. Mohabier
Hanneke P. de Graaf
Eric A. P. Steegers
Loes C. M. Bertens
Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Socioeconomic disadvantage
Vulnerable populations
Pregnancy
Adverse pregnancy outcomes
Preterm birth
Small for gestational age
title Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study
title_full Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study
title_fullStr Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study
title_full_unstemmed Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study
title_short Incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women – the Mothers of Rotterdam study
title_sort incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes in highly vulnerable pregnant women the mothers of rotterdam study
topic Socioeconomic disadvantage
Vulnerable populations
Pregnancy
Adverse pregnancy outcomes
Preterm birth
Small for gestational age
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07401-w
work_keys_str_mv AT kajalscmohabier incidenceofadverseperinataloutcomesinhighlyvulnerablepregnantwomenthemothersofrotterdamstudy
AT hannekepdegraaf incidenceofadverseperinataloutcomesinhighlyvulnerablepregnantwomenthemothersofrotterdamstudy
AT ericapsteegers incidenceofadverseperinataloutcomesinhighlyvulnerablepregnantwomenthemothersofrotterdamstudy
AT loescmbertens incidenceofadverseperinataloutcomesinhighlyvulnerablepregnantwomenthemothersofrotterdamstudy