Jacob Spallek1, Laura Scholaske2, Elif Aysimi Duman3, Oliver Razum4, Sonja Entringer5. 1. Department of Public Health, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany. Electronic address: spallek@b-tu.de. 2. German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), Berlin, Germany. 3. Department of Psychology, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey. 4. Department of Epidemiology & International Public Health, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany. 5. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Psychology, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, Disease Research Program University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA; Development, Health and Disease Research Program University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Health disparities in children of immigrants are prevalent from birth and are hypothesized to - in part - emerge as a biological consequence of migration's unfavorable social and psychological sequelae. The aim of this study was to examine whether maternal migrant background is associated with inflammation during pregnancy - a key pathway by which maternal states and conditions during pregnancy may influence fetal development and subsequent pregnancy, birth, and child developmental and health outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data was available from 126 pregnant women who participated in a population based multi-site prospective birth cohort study in Bielefeld and Berlin, Germany. The study included two study visits in mid- and late pregnancy. At each visit, a composite maternal pro-inflammatory score was derived from circulating levels of plasma inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP). Migrant background was defined by country of origin of participants and their parents' (Turkey or other) and generation status (1st or 2nd generation). We applied hierarchical linear models (HLM) in order to quantify the relationship between different migrant background variables and inflammation during pregnancy after adjustment for potential confounders (including socioeconomic status). RESULTS: Migrant background was significantly associated with inflammation during pregnancy. When compared to women without migrant background, levels of inflammation were increased in 1) pregnant women with migrant background in general (B = 0.35, SE = 0.12, p < .01); 2) 1st (B = 0.28, SE = 0.15, p < .10) and 2nd generation (B = 0.40, SE = 0.15, p < .01); 3) women with a Turkish migrant background (B = 0.28, SE = 0.14, p < .10) and women with another migrant background (B = 0.42, SE = 0.15, p < .01); and 4) 2nd generation Turkish origin women (B = 0.38, SE = 0.20, p < .10), 1st generation women with other migrant background (B = 0.44, SE = 0.26, p < .10), and 2nd generation women with other migrant background (B = 0.43, SE = 0.17, p < .05). DISCUSSION: Our findings support a role for maternal inflammation as a pathway of intergenerational transmission of migration-related health inequalities, suggest that the effect seems to persist in 2nd generation immigrants, and highlight the need for future research and targeted interventions in this context.
BACKGROUND: Health disparities in children of immigrants are prevalent from birth and are hypothesized to - in part - emerge as a biological consequence of migration's unfavorable social and psychological sequelae. The aim of this study was to examine whether maternal migrant background is associated with inflammation during pregnancy - a key pathway by which maternal states and conditions during pregnancy may influence fetal development and subsequent pregnancy, birth, and child developmental and health outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data was available from 126 pregnant women who participated in a population based multi-site prospective birth cohort study in Bielefeld and Berlin, Germany. The study included two study visits in mid- and late pregnancy. At each visit, a composite maternal pro-inflammatory score was derived from circulating levels of plasma inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP). Migrant background was defined by country of origin of participants and their parents' (Turkey or other) and generation status (1st or 2nd generation). We applied hierarchical linear models (HLM) in order to quantify the relationship between different migrant background variables and inflammation during pregnancy after adjustment for potential confounders (including socioeconomic status). RESULTS: Migrant background was significantly associated with inflammation during pregnancy. When compared to women without migrant background, levels of inflammation were increased in 1) pregnant women with migrant background in general (B = 0.35, SE = 0.12, p < .01); 2) 1st (B = 0.28, SE = 0.15, p < .10) and 2nd generation (B = 0.40, SE = 0.15, p < .01); 3) women with a Turkish migrant background (B = 0.28, SE = 0.14, p < .10) and women with another migrant background (B = 0.42, SE = 0.15, p < .01); and 4) 2nd generation Turkish origin women (B = 0.38, SE = 0.20, p < .10), 1st generation women with other migrant background (B = 0.44, SE = 0.26, p < .10), and 2nd generation women with other migrant background (B = 0.43, SE = 0.17, p < .05). DISCUSSION: Our findings support a role for maternal inflammation as a pathway of intergenerational transmission of migration-related health inequalities, suggest that the effect seems to persist in 2nd generation immigrants, and highlight the need for future research and targeted interventions in this context.
Authors: Kharah MacKenzie Ross; Gregory Miller; Jennifer Culhane; William Grobman; Hyagriv N Simhan; Pathik D Wadhwa; Douglas Williamson; Thomas McDade; Claudia Buss; Sonja Entringer; Emma Adam; Sameen Qadir; Lauren Keenan-Devlin; Adam K K Leigh; Ann Borders Journal: Am J Reprod Immunol Date: 2016-09-12 Impact factor: 3.886
Authors: Alice M Graham; Jerod M Rasmussen; Marc D Rudolph; Christine M Heim; John H Gilmore; Martin Styner; Steven G Potkin; Sonja Entringer; Pathik D Wadhwa; Damien A Fair; Claudia Buss Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2017-06-19 Impact factor: 13.382