Table 2 Summary of study characteristics
From: International migration and caesarean birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Characteristic | n (number of studies) | % |
|---|---|---|
Language of publication | (n=76) | Â |
  English | 62 | 81.6 |
  French | 4 | 5.3 |
  Italian | 3 | 5.3 |
  Spanish | 1 | 2.6 |
  Norwegian | 2 | 3.9 |
  German | 4 | 1.3 |
Publication period | (n=76) | Â |
  < 1980 | 9 | 11.8 |
  1980-1989 | 6 | 7.9 |
  1990-1999 | 13 | 17.1 |
  2000-2012 | 45 | 59.2 |
  Unpublished | 3 | 3.9 |
Data Sources | (n=76) | Â |
  Population-based data registries | 21 | 27.6 |
  Population-based hospital data | 2 | 2.6 |
  Population-based surveys | 4 | 5.3 |
  Research study/hospital records | 49 | 64.5 |
Variables adjusted | (n=19) * | Â |
  Maternal age | 19 | 100 |
  Parity | 17 | 89.5 |
  Education | 7 | 36.8 |
  Gestational age | 8 | 42.1 |
  Marital status | 3 | 15.8 |
  Prenatal care | 3 | 15.8 |
  Social economic status (poverty, income, under-housing, occupation) | 4 | 21.1 |
  Birthweight | 9 | 47.4 |
  Medical complications | 2 | 10.5 |
  Mechanical factors | 1 | 5.3 |
  Previous caesarean | 1 | 5.3 |
  Pregnancy complications (multiple, preterm, fetal stress) | 3 | 15.8 |
  Smoking & substance abuse | 1 | 5.3 |
  Medical indications | 2 | 10.5 |
  Onset of labour | 1 | 5.3 |
  Maternal weight/BMI/diabetes | 5 | 26.3 |
  Assisted reproductive technology | 2 | 10.5 |
  Infant sex | 4 | 21.1 |
  Hospital characteristics (level of care, size of hospital, private facility) | 5 | 26.3 |
  Insurance status | 2 | 10.5 |
  Birth year | 1 | 5.3 |
  Time of day | 1 | 5.3 |
  Location of institution | 2 | 10.5 |
Coverage | (n=75) †|  |
  National | 15 | 19.7 |
  Regional | 12 | 15.8 |
  Local | 49 | 64.5 |
Data years | (n=75) ‡ |  |
  < 1980 | 12 | 12.6 |
  1980–1989 | 17 | 17.9 |
  1990–1999 | 28 | 29.5 |
  2000-2010 | 38 | 40.0 |
Number of migrants studied | (n=74) § |  |
  < 1,000 | 32 | 43.2 |
  1,000-5,000 | 23 | 31.2 |
  > 5,000-10,000 | 5 | 6.8 |
  >10,000 | 14** | 18.9 |
Source regions | (n=1,029,454) ††|  |
  Sub-Saharan Africa | 66,163 | 6.4 |
  North Africa/West Asia | 65,689 | 6.4 |
  Latin America & Caribbean | 404,729 | 39.3 |
  North America/Australia | 8855 | 0.9 |
  East Asia | 68,084 | 6.6 |
  South-East Asia | 69,589 | 6.8 |
  South Asia | 70,545 | 6.9 |
  Asia (unspecified) | 46,842 | 4.6 |
  Oceania (unspecified) | 18,005 | 1.7 |
  East Europe | 27,922 | 2.7 |
  North/West Europe | 58,065 | 5.6 |
  South Europe | 16,336 | 1.6 |
  Unspecified | 108,630 | 10.6 |
Receiving countries | (n= 76) ‡‡ |  |
  Australia | 9 | 11.1 |
  Belgium | 2 | 2.5 |
  Canada | 5 | 6.2 |
  Finland | 2 | 2.5 |
  France | 6 | 7.4 |
  Germany | 4 | 4.9 |
  Greece | 3 | 3.7 |
  Holland | 2 | 2.5 |
  Ireland | 3 | 3.7 |
  Israel | 3 | 3.7 |
  Italy | 9 | 11.1 |
  Norway | 10 | 12.3 |
  Portugal | 1 | 1.2 |
  Spain | 3 | 3.7 |
  Sweden | 3 | 3.7 |
  Switzerland | 1 | 1.2 |
  UK | 6 | 7.4 |
  US | 9 | 11.1 |
Quality of reports | (n=76) | Â |
  Good | 22 | 28.9 |
  Fair | 54 | 71.1 |
Caesareans | (n=64) §§ |  |
  Higher | 13 | 20.3 |
  Higher/No different | 12 | 18.8 |
  Lower | 9 | 14.1 |
  Lower/No different | 2 | 3.1 |
  Mixed | 8 | 12.5 |
  No different | 20 | 31.3 |
Emergency caesareans | (n=21) *** | Â |
  Higher | 7 | 33.3 |
  Higher/No different | 4 | 19.0 |
  Lower | 0 | 0.0 |
  Lower/No different | 0 | 0.0 |
  Mixed | 0 | 0.0 |
  No different | 10 | 47.6 |
Elective caesareans | (n=19) *** | Â |
  Higher | 2 | 10.5 |
  Higher/No different | 3 | 15.8 |
  Lower | 5 | 26.3 |
  Lower/No different | 2 | 10.5 |
  Mixed | 1 | 5.3 |
  No different | 6 | 31.6 |