Giving birth in rural Arctic Greenland results from an Eastern Greenlandic birth cohort

Eastern Greenland is one of the most remote areas in the world. Approximately 3,500 people lives in two small towns and five villages. There is limited information on birth outcomes in Eastern Greenland. A cohort of all birthing women from Eastern Greenland from 2000 to 2017 was established and preg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Main Authors: Houd, Susanne, Sorensen, Hans C., Clausen, Jette A., Maimburg, Rikke D. (R20259)
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: U.K., Taylor & Francis 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2091214
https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:75727
Description
Summary:Eastern Greenland is one of the most remote areas in the world. Approximately 3,500 people lives in two small towns and five villages. There is limited information on birth outcomes in Eastern Greenland. A cohort of all birthing women from Eastern Greenland from 2000 to 2017 was established and pregnancy, birth, and neonatal outcomes were described. A total of 1,344 women and 1,355 children were included in the cohort where 14.5% of the women were 18Â years or younger, and 36.2% were single parents. Most women, 84.8% gave birth in East Greenland and 92.9%, experienced a vaginal, non-instrumental birth. The overall caesarean section rate was 6.5%. The rate of premature births was 10.1% and 2.2% of the children were born with malformations. The rate of premature births was high, preventive initiatives such as midwifery-led continuity of care including a stronger focus on the pregnant woman’s social and mental life situation may be recommended. Organisation of maternity services in East Greenland may benefit from a strong focus on public health, culture, and setting specific challenges, including the birth traditions of the society.