The effects of migration on antenatal care services in a middle
Anatolian town (Eskisehir-Kaymaz)
S. Metintas, D. Arslantas, C. Kalyoncu, A.
Unsal, H. Karabagli
Eskisehir-Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, Department
of Public Health, Eskisehir, Turkey, and The Office of Mother/Child Health and Family Planning
Services, Eskisehir, Turkey
Objective In Turkey level of antenatal care
services shows considerable differences between regions. Also, the reality of
our country is that there is migration from east and southeast regions where the
national health index is at a lower level to western regions. Additionally,
migration is accepted as a social phenomenon that influences indexes of women
health unfavorably.
Study aimed to investigate utilization of antenatal care
services by native and immigrant women living in Kaymaz city, to where
perdurable migration occurs mostly, in Osmangazi University Medical Faculty
Public Health Department research region.
Design and method In research region
by going each house, it was asked weather there had been death of a baby since
10 years and weather there was a living baby or a child in each of these
dwellings. The demographic features of the women with a baby died in 10 years
time or with a living baby or a child and antenatal care services they got in
each of their births were investigated with standard measures. Study data were
evaluated in two different data sets with mother and birth basis.
Results Thirty-one of
the women in study group were (48.4%) native and 33 of them (51.6%) were
immigrant. Immigrant women mostly came from east and southeast Anatolian regions.
The education levels of immigrant women and their husbands were lower than
native ones (p=0.001). While the distribution of their professions were not
different from native women, ratio of unemployment of their husbands and ratio
of ones who did not have any health insurance were higher (p=0.05). Means of
gravida, parity and living child and abortion of immigrant women were found
higher (p=0.01). Of 109 births of 64 women from study group , 50 of native
women’s (group 1) and 35 of immigrant women’s (group 2) were in Kaymaz and 24 of
them were in places where immigrant women came (group 3).Ratio of not getting
prenatal care service was higher in group 3(28%) than group 2 (12%) and group 1
(6%) (p=0.000).Ratio of using primary care or hospital care in order to get
natal care service was lower in group 3 ( p=0.001).Ratio of not having tetanus
vaccine was lower in group 1(8%) than group 2 (14.7 %) and group 3 (40.0 %)
(p=0.02). Ratio of prenatal regular visits were higher in group 1 ( 57.8 %) than
group 2 (23.4%) and group 3 (21.9%) (p=0.004). Ratio of utilizing laboratory
services in prenatal care was higher in group 1 (92%) than group 2 (76.5 %) and
group 3 (60.0 %) (p=0.004). Ratio of Traditional-midwifes took place in births
was lower in group 1 (10.0%) than group 2 (26.5%) and group 3 (32.0%)
(p=0.04).Ratio of birth at home was higher in group 3 (32.0%)and group 2(26.5%)
than group 1(12.0%).
Conclusions The level of utilizing antenatal care services
of immigrant women was found to be lower than native women. And it was concluded
that immigrant women should be regarded as a risk group while planning health
services and efforts should be paid in order that these women could have enough
health services.