Relationship between immigration fluxes and patterns of small for gestational age in Italy

Small for gestational age (SGA) is recognized as an important predictor of infant mortality. Racial disparity in birthweight was reported in several studies, and different rates of SGA were reported in immigrants than in the indigenous population [1]. In Italy, immigration is a relatively new phenomenon in comparison to other European countries and the US. The fluxes of immigration in Italy mainly come from Africa and East Europe, providing an opportunity to examine the prevalence of low birthweight among immigrants of different socio-cultural and genetic backgrounds. Data on the birthweight of 488 383 (M/F=1.05) singleton infants born in northeast Italy from 1989 through 2000 were extracted from the neonatal medical records of all hospitals in the area and showed that the prevalence of small for gestational age in northeast Italy is 4.4% and that it has decreased in more recent years. Immigrants have a higher risk of having small-forgestational-age infants, especially in the sub-Saharan population, than Italians.