外籍新娘與本地婦女的低出生體重嬰兒比較

Comparison of Low Birth Weight Infants Born to Alien and Native Brides

外籍新娘高比率弱勢家庭相關的健康照護是令人關切的議題。本研究比較外籍新娘與本地婦女的新生兒出生體重之差異。本文使用1999年1月到2003年9月中南部某鄉鎮的新生兒出生資料，內容包括新生兒的出生體重、妊娠週數與父母親的年齡及教育資料。本研究比較兩組新生兒出生體重及其與父母年齡和教育程度的關係。結果共收集了2,128位新生兒的資料，312位為外籍新娘所生。外籍新娘與其配偶的平均年齡差距（12.0±6.8歲）相較於本地婦女的平均年齡差距（3.2±3.5歲）有顯著的差異（p<0.001）。外籍新娘本身的教育程度（p<0.001）及其配偶的教育程度（p<0.001）都比本地婦女的低。而外籍新娘的小孩不足月出生率（小於37妊娠週數）（6.7%對8.1%，p=0.392）及新生兒出生體重平均值（3100.6±432.4對3131.0±473.7克，p=0.258）雖皆較本地婦女所生的稍低，但皆不顯著。嬰兒低出生體重率雖卻是外籍新娘較本地婦女略低（4.9%對5.9%），也無顯著差異（p=0.257）。與懷孕週期37週以上的婦女相較，懷孕週期少於37週的婦女其嬰兒低出生體重危險較高（OR=33.1，95% CI=20.7-52.8）。年齡25-29歲的婦女其嬰兒低出生體重危險較年齡小於25歲的婦女來得低（OR=0.55，95% CI=0.30-0.99）。本研究顯示，雖然外籍新娘家庭的社經狀況不若本地的婦女，但卻未如一般預期會有較高的新生兒低體重出生率。

A large proportion of alien women who immigrate into Taiwan marry into disadvantaged families. The health care demands for offspring born to such alien brides are an issue of concern. This study compared the birth weights and gestational ages of infants born to alien and native brides. Birth certificates for infants born from January 1999 to September 2003 were obtained from the health department of a rural town in southern Taiwan. The average birth weights and gestational ages of infants and their parental socio-demographic variables were compared between alien and native women. The infant birth weights and gestational ages were also compared as a function of parental sociodemographic status. Among 2,128 infants enrolled in this study, 312 were born to alien brides. The average age difference between alien brides and their husbands was much greater than that which existed in native couples (12.0±6.8 years vs. 3.2±3.5 years, p＜0.001). Alien brides (p＜0.001) and their husbands (p＜0.001) also had a lower level of education than native women and their husbands. The average birth weights of infants born to alien women was slightly lower than the average birth weights of infants born to native women, but did not reach statistical significance (3100.6±432.4 g vs. 3131.0 ± 473.7 g, p=0.258). Alien women also had a lower, but not significant, preterm birth rate (6.7% vs. 8.1%, p=0.392). However, the low birth weight rate was slightly lower, but not significant, for infants born to alien women as compared to infants born to native women (4.9% vs. 5.9%, p=0.257). Compared to women with higher gestational ages (＞37 weeks), those with lower gestational ages (＜37weeks) had a higher risk of low birth weight (OR=33.1, 95% CI=20.7-52.8). The risk of low birth weight was less in women aged 25-29 years than that in women ＜25 years of age (OR=0.55, 95% CI=0.30-0.99). The infant low birth weight rate may not be associated with maternal alien status, although alien women may live with families of a lower socioeconomic status.