A Comparative Prevalence of Birth Defects between Newborns of Immigrant and Native-Born Mothers in Taiwan: Ten Years of Population-Based Data

Abstract

In recent years, newborns born to immigrant mothers have accounted for about 10% of the total births in Taiwan. However, little is known about whether there are differences between newborns of immigrant and native-born mothers regarding the prevalence and the possible causes of birth defects. By combining four nationwide databases and assessing all newborns between 2005 and 2014 in Taiwan as research subjects, this study determined the prevalence of birth defects stratified into nine categories (neuronal, facial, cleft, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urogenital, musculoskeletal and chromosomal abnormalities) in the newborns of immigrant mothers and native-born mothers. We found that the prevalence of any birth defects in newborns of immigrant mothers (ranging from 0.98 to 1.24%) was lower than that of native-born mothers (2.86%). Skeletomuscular system defects are the most common among newborns of women from the main immigrant countries (0.24–0.42%), while circulatory system defects were the most common among newborns of Taiwanese women (0.92%). The risks of all defects remained lower for newborns of immigrant mothers (AORs ranged from 0.37 to 0.47) after controlling for possible confounding variables. The higher rates of birth defects among newborns of native-born mothers may be attributed to an older maternal age at childbirth and a higher prevalence of diabetes than that of immigrant mothers. The findings from this study imply that the prevalence of birth defects between newborns of immigrant and native-born mothers is not similar, as evidenced by a decade of population-based data.

Multivariate logistic regression analysis of risk factors for birth defects: a study from population-based surveillance data

“…Similar to paternal age, maternal household registration as an indicator has rarely been addressed in previous studies. Yu-Jung et al found that the prevalence of birth defects in newborns of immigrant mothers was lower than that of native-born mothers in Taiwan [ 39 ]. In contrast, Anne-Marie et al found a higher risk of congenital anomalies in migrants in Europe [ 40 ].…”

Birth defects data from hospital-based birth defect surveillance in Guilin, China, 2018–2020

“…BDs were diagnosed by physical examination, ultrasonography, X-ray examination, and/or genetic diagnostic methods, based on the Chinese National Criteria of Birth Defects and Tiny Deformities and the clinical modification codes as congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (codes Q00–Q99) of ICD-10 ( 1 , 6 , 10 ). Experts from each registered hospital were responsible for the diagnostic confirmation and provision of technical support.…”

“…In this study, we first classified BDs based on the ICD-10 system to better understand the epidemiological characteristics of BDs ( 1 , 10 ). Thus, nine categories were involved in the classification as the research outcome.…”

“…Furthermore, commonly used BD classification schemes were International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), such as 9th or 10th revision (ICD-9, or ICD-10) ( 2 , 9 , 10 ). ICD is the standard used globally to classify diseases including birth defects.…”

Bilingual Parenting: A Personal Narrative Story of Foreign Bride in Taiwan Towards Taiwanese-Indonesian Student Academic Achievement

“…Migration is motivated by a variety of factors, including marriage, family expansion, economic ambitions, and a variety of personal goals. Intermarriages in Taiwan began growing in 1983 and peaked in 1992, with miscegenation declining since the peak (Zhuang, 2010;Chen, 2019;Lin et al, 2021). The majority of migrant women marry working-class or farmer men in Taiwan (Yu, 2022).…”