[Differences in reproductive patterns between autochthonous and immigrant women living in Catalonia, Spain]. / Diferencias en el perfil reproductivo de mujeres autóctonas e inmigrantes residentes en Cataluña.

OBJECTIVE: To describe differences in reproductive patterns between autochthonous and immigrant women living in Catalonia (Spain). METHODS: Data on legal abortions were obtained from the abortions register in the Regional Ministry of Health, while data on births and the population were drawn from the Institute of Statistics of Catalonia. Depending on the source, the variables <> or <> were used to compose the groups. Rates of fertility and abortion by age were computed for 2005 and the women's sociodemographic characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 20.8% of the 79,504 births and 37.8% of the 16,798 abortions involved immigrant women, while 14.2% of pregnancies in autochthonous women and 27.7% of those in immigrant women terminated in abortion. Crude fertility and abortion rates were 1.4 and 3 times higher, respectively, in immigrant women. CONCLUSIONS: There are important differences in abortion and fertility rates, as well as in social and demographic patterns, between autochthonous and immigrant women.

Diferencias en el perfil reproductivo de mujeres autóctonas e inmigrantes residentes en Cataluña / Differences in reproductive patterns between autochthonous and immigrant women living in Catalonia, Spain

Objetivo: Describir el perfil reproductivo en las mujeres autóctonase inmigrantes residentes en Cataluña.Métodos: Los abortos proceden del Registro de interrupciónvoluntaria del embarazo (IVE) del Departament de Salut, y losnacimientos y la población del Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya.Se han usado las variables ®país de nacimiento» o ®nacionalidad», según la fuente, para agrupar. Se analizan lastasas de fecundidad y aborto por edad, y las característicassociodemográficas de las mujeres para el año 2005.Resultados: El 20,8% de los 79.504 nacimientos y el 37,8%de las 16.798 IVE fueron de mujeres inmigrantes. El14,2% de los embarazos de mujeres autóctonas y el 27,7%de los de mujeres inmigrantes terminan en aborto. Las tasabruta de fecundidad y aborto es 1,4 y 3 veces superior, respectivamente,en las mujeres inmigrantes.Conclusiones: Hay importantes diferencias en las tasas y enlas características sociodemográficas entre las mujeres autóctonasy las inmigrantes(AU)

Objective: To describe differences in reproductive patternsbetween autochthonous and immigrant women living in Catalonia(Spain).Methods: Data on legal abortions were obtained from theabortions register in the Regional Ministry of Health, while dataon births and the population were drawn from the Institute ofStatistics of Catalonia. Depending on the source, the variables®country of birth» or ®nationality» were used to composethe groups. Rates of fertility and abortion by age were computedfor 2005 and the women’s sociodemographiccharacteristics were analyzed.Results: A total of 20.8% of the 79,504 births and 37.8% ofthe 16,798 abortions involved immigrant women, while 14.2%of pregnancies in autochthonous women and 27.7% of thosein immigrant women terminated in abortion. Crude fertility andabortion rates were 1.4 and 3 times higher, respectively, in immigrantwomen.Conclusions: There are important differences in abortion andfertility rates, as well as in social and demographic patterns,between autochthonous and immigrant women(AU)