Association between language barrier and inadequate prenatal care utilization among migrant women in the PreCARE prospective cohort study

Abstract

Background

Inadequate prenatal care utilization (PCU) is involved in the higher risk of adverse maternal outcomes among migrant vs. native women. Language barrier may be a risk factor for inadequate PCU. We aimed to assess the association between this barrier and inadequate PCU among migrant women.

Methods

This analysis took place in the French multicentre prospective PreCARE cohort study, conducted in four university hospital maternity units in the northern Paris area. It included 10 419 women giving birth between 2010 and 2012. Migrants’ language barrier to communication in French were categorized into three groups: migrants with no, partial or total language barrier. Inadequate PCU was assessed by the date prenatal care began, the proportion of recommended prenatal visits completed and ultrasound scans performed. The associations between these language barrier categories and inadequate PCU were tested with multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Among the 4803 migrant women included, the language barrier was partial for 785 (16.3%) and total for 181 (3.8%). Compared to migrants with no language barrier, those with partial [risk ratio (RR) 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13–1.33] and total (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.50) language barrier were at higher risk of inadequate PCU. Adjustment for maternal age, parity and region of birth did not modify these associations, which were noted particularly among socially deprived women.

Conclusion

Migrant women with language barrier have a higher risk of inadequate PCU than those without. These findings underscore the importance of targeted efforts to bring women with language barrier to prenatal care.