Birth Prevalence and Pregnancy Outcomes between Migrant Workers and Thai Workers at Thanyaburi Hospital

Birth Prevalence and Pregnancy Outcomes between Migrant Workers and Thai Workers

Abstract

Migrant labor is one of the key driving forces of Thailand's economy, and their numbers continue to increase each year, particularly among those of reproductive age. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of migrant workers giving birth at Thanyaburi Hospital and to compare pregnancy outcomes between migrant and Thai workers. A retrospective study was conducted among singleton pregnant women who delivered at Thanyaburi Hospital, Pathum Thani Province, between 2019 and 2023 (5 years). The results showed that migrant workers had an average prevalence of 17.3% of childbirth. Migrant women differed from Thai women in several aspects, including having a higher average maternal age and gestational age at first antenatal care visit, a higher prevalence of hepatitis B infection, and a significantly higher rate of vaginal delivery. However, when considering key pregnancy outcomes, no differences were found between the two groups in terms of preterm birth, perinatal mortality, birth weight, neonatal outcomes, maternal outcomes, and postpartum complications. In conclusion, although foreign workers have a relatively high birth rate and have demographic characteristics that differ from Thai workers in some respects, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes do not differ. Reflecting the equitable quality of medical care provided to both populations