Childbirth Costs in Immigrant Areas of Spain
Author Information
Author(s): Comas Mercè, Català Laura, Sala Maria, Payà Antoni, Sala Assumpció, Del Amo Elisabeth, Castells Xavier, Cots Francesc
Primary Institution: IMIM-Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
Hypothesis
Immigrants make lesser use of prenatal care, which may increase the risk of cesarean section and delivery costs.
Conclusion
Neither immigration nor prenatal care were associated with a substantial difference in costs, with delivery type and neonatal severity being the most important predictors.
Supporting Evidence
- The average cost of childbirth was 4,328€.
- Cesarean sections were the most expensive delivery type at 5,815€.
- The study found no significant cost differences based on maternal origin.
- Delivery type and neonatal severity were the main cost predictors.
Takeaway
This study looked at how much it costs to have a baby in a hospital in Barcelona, especially for immigrant families, and found that the type of delivery matters more than where the mother is from.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study of all deliveries in a teaching hospital was performed, analyzing costs based on maternal origin and delivery type.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of deliveries outside the catchment area and those with incomplete data.
Limitations
The study's sample may not be representative of all childbirths in Spain, and it lacks data on private healthcare costs.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 1,026 childbirths, with 462 Spanish-born mothers and 564 foreign-born mothers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
[2,881; 3,112]
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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