Improvement in Health Profile of Pregnant Ethiopian Immigrants
R. Peled, S. Scharf, Z. Melamed, Y. Arbeli, N. Strachilevitch, D. Benyaish
Epidemiology Unit, Public Health Dept., Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon
There are about 6500 births yearly in the Ashkelon District. 6% of the mothers are Ethiopians, most of whom immigrated to Israel since the early 90's. Our data are from 3 sources: birth certificates, infant death certificates, and the national population register. Birth rates in single mothers and rates of low-birth-weight births have declined over the years. Infant mortality and still-birth rates have also shown remarkable and consistent declines between 1990-1995. We conclude that improvement in life conditions of Ethiopian immigrants and better use of health services have had a great impact on birth outcomes and pregnancy patterns. The gap between Ethiopian immigrants and other Jewish communities in Israel is closing fast.