Reproductive Outcomes Among Mexican-Origin Women in San Diego and Tijuana: Testing the Migration Selectivity Hypothesis

Journal of Immigrant Health, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 77-90, 1999

14 Pages Posted: 8 Jul 2011 Last revised: 11 Jul 2011

See all articles by John Weeks

John Weeks

San Diego State University

Rubén G. Rumbaut

University of California, Irvine - Department of Sociology

Norma Ojeda

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: 1999

Abstract

Mexican immigrants to the United States have better reproductive outcomes than U.S.-born non-Latina whites. Explanations offered for this, "epidemiological paradox," include (1) poor outcomes among Mexican women may be hidden by their return to Mexico; (2) Mexican women may have a higher fetal death rate that alters the pattern of live birth outcomes; (3) Mexican women may have socioeconomic characteristics which, if properly measured, would explain the outcome; (4) Mexican women may have personal characteristics which would explain the outcome, if properly measured; (5) there may be ameliorative or salutogenic, "protective," effects of culture; and (6) migration may be selective of healthier women who are thus more prone to positive outcomes. We test these explanations, with an emphasis on the last one, using a data set that combines reproductive histories and birth outcomes for Mexico-born women delivering in San Diego, California and Mexican women delivering in Tijuana, Mexico. These data are compared with U.S.-born Latinas and U.S.-born non-Latina Whites. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggests that when controlling for birth history (stillbirths and miscarriages), socioeconomic characteristics (education and prenatal visits), personal characteristics (age, parity, time in area, history of family problems), and health characteristics (history of smoking, alcohol use, drug use, anemia, vaginal bleeding, urinary infection), the adjusted odds of a positive birth outcome (measured as a live birth of 2500 grams or more) is highest for women delivering in Tijuana, implying that migrants may not be so selective when compared to the country of origin. The number of prenatal visits was an important explanatory variable.

Keywords: Pregnancy outcomes, low birthweight, prenatal visits, immigration, US-born versus Mexico-born Latinas, immigrant selectivity, acculturation, epidemiological paradox

Suggested Citation

Weeks, John and Rumbaut, Rubén G. and Ojeda, Norma, Reproductive Outcomes Among Mexican-Origin Women in San Diego and Tijuana: Testing the Migration Selectivity Hypothesis (1999). Journal of Immigrant Health, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 77-90, 1999, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1881418

John Weeks

San Diego State University ( email )

San Diego, CA 92182-0763
United States

Rubén G. Rumbaut (Contact Author)

University of California, Irvine - Department of Sociology ( email )

3151 Social Sciences Plaza A
Irvine, CA 92697-5100
United States

Norma Ojeda

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

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