EL AUMENTO DE PESO DURANTE EL EMBARAZO COMO EFECTO DE LAS MIGRACIONES A LAS GRANDES METRÓPOLIS Y LA TRANSMISIÓN DE PATRONES CULTURALES

Abstract

The recently immigrated population coming from Subsaharan Africa (Mali, Senegal, Niger, Ivory Coast) to France have a middle or low socio-economic status. In comparison with a French sample having the same socio-economic status, it is remarkable that the growth of the children and health of the children and their mothers are so different. The weight gain during pregnancy is significantly lower among African pregnant women compared to the French. The mean weight gain during the full pregnancy is 8.9 kg among the African mothers and 13.9 kg among the French mothers (p<0.01). This is due to the insufficient food intake. The African immigrant mothers often obey to some food practices in belief of the relationship of avoiding a too large newborn and a complicated delivery, by limiting their food intake.