Grant: Operating Grant

Immigrants are expected to account for nearly all population growth in Canada over the next two decades. The province of Ontario is an appropriate setting to study maternal and newborn health among its immigrants, as more than half of all new immigrants to settle in Ontario. Immigrant mothers currently contribute to 25% of all births in Canada and 37% of all births in Ontario. In many nations, females are less likely to survive or to maintain health compared to males. About 4 million excess female deaths occur every year, the majority in Asia and Africa: About 35% are never born or die at birth, 15% die in early childhood and 33% in their reproductive years. Female disadvantage impairs the ability of mothers to take care of themselves and their children. Canada increasingly receives immigrants from world regions where females are disadvantaged. However, little is known about how female immigrants and their newborns fare, or if the female disadvantage found in some countries persist after immigration to Canada. To examine these issues, we will study 2.6 million mother-newborn pairs in Ontario over the last two decades, including 535,000 births to immigrant women. Our goal is to determine if infant, child and maternal health and well-being differ according to the sex of the baby and the country of origin of the mother. With our strong research team, we will work in collaboration with immigrant community organizations to ensure that our findings translate into more equitable and improved care of mothers and their children in Canada.