A total of 341 pregnant women admitted to the Obstetrical Emergency Department who gave birth at the hospital in Cayenne agreed to participate in the study between 29 May 2018 and 29 March 2019.
Sociodemographic characteristics
The average age was 28.6 years (range 15–45 years).
The majority of women were born in Haiti and French Guiana (39% and 34% respectively). 9% of them were born in Brazil, 6% in France Mainland, 4% in Suriname, 4% in the Dominican Republic.
The mother language was Haitian Creole for 37% of the women, French for 31%, Portuguese for 11%, Nengue Tongo for 7%, Spanish for 4% of them.
The women participating in the study had a “high school” level for 35% of them and a “middle school” level for 31% of them. 21% had completed higher education, 5% had vocational training. 8% of women had not attended school or had interrupted their primary education.
Over a third of women were single (39%), 43% lived in a couple, 16% were married or in a couple, and 2% were divorced.
The median length of stay in French Guiana at inclusion was 2. 7 years (range 1 month - 41 years). 90% of the women participating in the study lived in French Guiana throughout their pregnancy.
Among foreign women, 68% did not have a residence permit.
Concerning social coverage, 160 women (47%) benefited from the universal medical coverage, 68 (20%) from regular health insurance and a complementary health insurance, 66 (19%) from the State Medical Aid for foreigners, 21 (6%) from regular health insurance without complementary insurance, and 26(8%) did not benefit from any social coverage.
The majority of women (59%) were housewives, 26% had a permanent job, 7% were in training, 5% were looking for work, 4% were temporary workers.
Nutritional characteristics
The majority of women drank tap water (65%); 30% drank bottled water; the remaining 5% drank water from the well, rain or creek. Water intake was insufficient, less than 1.5L of water per day for 22% of women.
The 9-category food diversity score showed 52% of the women had a score of 4 or less.
The national nutrition and health program includes 4 items. 9% of women responded to the 4 items. 66% of women responded to 2 items or less.
Thirteen percent of women experienced eating disorders during pregnancy, 11% consumed “pemba”, which consists of aluminum-rich clay.
The body mass index before pregnancy averaged 26.7. At the beginning of pregnancy, one in four women was overweight and one in four was obese (in total half were overweight or obese).
The median weight gain during pregnancy was 10kg. A quarter of women gained 15kg or more during pregnancy, with a maximum of 37kg.
Obstetrical characteristics
The gestational age at inclusion ranged between 22 and 42 weeks of pregnancy.
Fifteen percent of women gave birth prematurely, 4.5% extremely prematurely.
Fifteen percent of the newborns in the study had a birth defect or required intensive care.
The first obstetrical consultation took place before the 14th week of amenorrhea for 75% of women. The average number of previous pregnancies was 3. Among the 10% of primigravida women, 18% received prenatal consultations and 27% birth preparation sessions. Among multiparous women, 81% of them had breastfed their previous child.
Twenty-three percent of the women participating in the study had a history of voluntary termination of pregnancy.
Nearly 1 woman in 4 (24%) had a history of miscarriage.
Night blindness during pregnancy was reported by 11% of the women participating in the study.
Biological characteristics
Microcytic anemia was reported in 21% of women.
Primary hypothyroidism was observed in 6.4% of women.
For urinary iodine, the median observed in our study sample is 104 ug/L.
Micronutrient deficiencies were documented in:
- 47% of women for iodine
- 28% of women for zinc
- 11% of women for magnesium
- 1. 5% of women for folic acid
- 35% of women for vitamin A
- 39% of women for vitamin B12
- 7% of women for the martial check-up
At least one micronutrient deficiency was objectively detected in 81% of the women participating in the study; 46% of women had at least two deficiencies; 18% had at least three.
No drug treatments that could induce deficiency were reported among the women in the study.
Table 1 showed that place of birth, mother language, health insurance, maternal education level and APGAR at 10 minutes from the newborn were significantly associated with micronutrient deficiency.
Women with State Medical Aid and Universal Medical Coverage had a greater risk, respectively 35% and 31%, of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those with both normal and complementary health insurance.
Women born in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic had an, respectively 17% and 21%, increase of the risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those born in French Guiana.
An increased educational level is in favour of a decreased risk of micronutrient deficiency:
women with a Bachelor’s degree had a 15% decrease in the risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy; 38% for women with a master’s degree and 99% for women with a doctorate compared to those at the “high school” level.
Women who had never gone to school had a 16% increased risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those at the high school level.
Women whose mother language was Haitian Creole, Spanish and Nengue Tongo had a, respectively 24%, 29% and 33%, greater risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those whose mother language was French.
Probability of increasing the APGAR score by one unit at 10 minutes of the newborn’s life was significantly decreased by 2% in women with at least one micronutrient deficiency.
A total of 341 pregnant women admitted to the Obstetrical Emergency Department who gave birth at the hospital in Cayenne agreed to participate in the study between 29 May 2018 and 29 March 2019.
Sociodemographic characteristics
The average age was 28.6 years (range 15–45 years).
The majority of women were born in Haiti and French Guiana (39% and 34% respectively). 9% of them were born in Brazil, 6% in France Mainland, 4% in Suriname, 4% in the Dominican Republic.
The mother language was Haitian Creole for 37% of the women, French for 31%, Portuguese for 11%, Nengue Tongo for 7%, Spanish for 4% of them.
The women participating in the study had a “high school” level for 35% of them and a “middle school” level for 31% of them. 21% had completed higher education, 5% had vocational training. 8% of women had not attended school or had interrupted their primary education.
Over a third of women were single (39%), 43% lived in a couple, 16% were married or in a couple, and 2% were divorced.
The median length of stay in French Guiana at inclusion was 2. 7 years (range 1 month - 41 years). 90% of the women participating in the study lived in French Guiana throughout their pregnancy.
Among foreign women, 68% did not have a residence permit.
Concerning social coverage, 160 women (47%) benefited from the universal medical coverage, 68 (20%) from regular health insurance and a complementary health insurance, 66 (19%) from the State Medical Aid for foreigners, 21 (6%) from regular health insurance without complementary insurance, and 26(8%) did not benefit from any social coverage.
The majority of women (59%) were housewives, 26% had a permanent job, 7% were in training, 5% were looking for work, 4% were temporary workers.
Nutritional characteristics
The majority of women drank tap water (65%); 30% drank bottled water; the remaining 5% drank water from the well, rain or creek. Water intake was insufficient, less than 1.5L of water per day for 22% of women.
The 9-category food diversity score showed 52% of the women had a score of 4 or less.
The national nutrition and health program includes 4 items. 9% of women responded to the 4 items. 66% of women responded to 2 items or less.
Thirteen percent of women experienced eating disorders during pregnancy, 11% consumed “pemba”, which consists of aluminum-rich clay.
The body mass index before pregnancy averaged 26.7. At the beginning of pregnancy, one in four women was overweight and one in four was obese (in total half were overweight or obese).
The median weight gain during pregnancy was 10kg. A quarter of women gained 15kg or more during pregnancy, with a maximum of 37kg.
Obstetrical characteristics
The gestational age at inclusion ranged between 22 and 42 weeks of pregnancy.
Fifteen percent of women gave birth prematurely, 4.5% extremely prematurely.
Fifteen percent of the newborns in the study had a birth defect or required intensive care.
The first obstetrical consultation took place before the 14th week of amenorrhea for 75% of women. The average number of previous pregnancies was 3. Among the 10% of primigravida women, 18% received prenatal consultations and 27% birth preparation sessions. Among multiparous women, 81% of them had breastfed their previous child.
Twenty-three percent of the women participating in the study had a history of voluntary termination of pregnancy.
Nearly 1 woman in 4 (24%) had a history of miscarriage.
Night blindness during pregnancy was reported by 11% of the women participating in the study.
Biological characteristics
Microcytic anemia was reported in 21% of women.
Primary hypothyroidism was observed in 6.4% of women.
For urinary iodine, the median observed in our study sample is 104 ug/L.
Micronutrient deficiencies were documented in:
- 47% of women for iodine
- 28% of women for zinc
- 11% of women for magnesium
- 1. 5% of women for folic acid
- 35% of women for vitamin A
- 39% of women for vitamin B12
- 7% of women for the martial check-up
At least one micronutrient deficiency was objectively detected in 81% of the women participating in the study; 46% of women had at least two deficiencies; 18% had at least three.
No drug treatments that could induce deficiency were reported among the women in the study.
Table 1 showed that place of birth, mother language, health insurance, maternal education level and APGAR at 10 minutes from the newborn were significantly associated with micronutrient deficiency.
Women with State Medical Aid and Universal Medical Coverage had a greater risk, respectively 35% and 31%, of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those with both normal and complementary health insurance.
Women born in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic had an, respectively 17% and 21%, increase of the risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those born in French Guiana.
An increased educational level is in favour of a decreased risk of micronutrient deficiency:
women with a Bachelor’s degree had a 15% decrease in the risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy; 38% for women with a master’s degree and 99% for women with a doctorate compared to those at the “high school” level.
Women who had never gone to school had a 16% increased risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those at the high school level.
Women whose mother language was Haitian Creole, Spanish and Nengue Tongo had a, respectively 24%, 29% and 33%, greater risk of micronutrient deficiency during pregnancy compared to those whose mother language was French.
Probability of increasing the APGAR score by one unit at 10 minutes of the newborn’s life was significantly decreased by 2% in women with at least one micronutrient deficiency.