Small Vulnerable Newborns among Venezuelan Immigrants in Colombia between 2018 and 2022

Paola Rueda, University of Pennsylvania
Paula Castro, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

According to Ashorn et al. (2023), small vulnerable newborns (SVN) include those born preterm, small for gestational age, or low birth weight (LBW). These conditions are strongly linked to stillbirth and ongoing health challenges for survivors in their early weeks of life. Regarding the prevalence of LBW, a systematic analysis found that the global prevalence was 14.6% in 2015, down from compared to 17.5% in 2000. In the Latin America and Caribbean regions, the prevalence was reported to be 8.8% and 8.7%, respectively. In Colombia, 9.2% of newborns had LBW in 2018, with higher rates observed in the country's central region. By 2022, this figure had risen to 9.87%. Maternal and socioeconomic determinants such as maternal education are significantly associated with LBW. Additionally, the mother's origin and migration have influenced perinatal outcomes. Colombia has experienced a substantial migration wave recently, with the most significant influx of Venezuelan migration occurring between 2017 and 2019. Research conducted in Colombia in 2017 found that Venezuelan mothers were more likely to have newborns with LBW and lower Apgar scores at 1-min and 5-min compared to Colombian mothers. However, there is a gap in the literature covering the subsequent years (2018-2022) despite data availability.

Keywords: Health and Morbidity, Mortality and Longevity, International Migration

See extended abstract.