Impact of refugee status and maternal age on pregnancy outcomes: a comparative study from Turkiye

Authors : Gülay Balkaş, Şevki Çelen

Pages : 871-878

Doi:10.32322/jhsm.1746967

View : 69 | Download : 85

Publication Date : 2025-09-16

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aims: This study aimed to elucidate sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes among Syrian refugee and native Turkish adolescents compared with adult women, to determine whether adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes are primarily attributable to young maternal age or exacerbated by Syrian refugee status. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 23,832 deliveries at a tertiary care center in Turkiye’s state-funded healthcare system from January 2015 to December 2018, with 5,720 singleton pregnancies meeting inclusion criteria. The study population comprised 2,235 adolescent pregnant women aged 15-19 years (985 Syrian refugees and 1,250 Turkish natives) and 3,485 adult pregnant women aged 20-35 years. Sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: Refugee adolescents were younger, had a lower body mass index, insufficient weight gain during pregnancy and had inadequate antenatal care compared to other groups (p<0.001). Smoking and being unmarried were more prevalent among native adolescents (p<0.001), however the illiteracy rate was significantly higher among refugee adolescents (p<0.001). First- and second-trimester prenatal screening tests uptake was lower among refugee adolescents, but gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening rates were higher (p<0.001). The cesarean delivery rate was higher among adult pregnant women, while vaginal deliveries were more common among refugee adolescents (p<0.001). Refugee adolescents experienced higher rates of pre-eclampsia and preterm birth, whereas GDM was more prevalent among adults (p<0.001). Conclusion: Adolescent pregnancy is associated with significant maternal and neonatal health risks, exacerbated among Syrian refugee adolescents due to socioeconomic disparities, language barriers, limited education, and limited access to healthcare facilities. Targeted interventions are urgently needed to improve antenatal care and provide comprehensive education on fertility and reproductive health, support family planning, and prevent child marriage.
Keywords : Adölesan gebelik, olumsuz gebelik sonuçları, antenatal bakım, çocuk evliliği, sağlık eşitsizlikleri, yerli adölesanlar, mülteci adölesanlar

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