TY - GEN A1 - Spallek, Jacob A1 - Scholaske, Laura A1 - Duman, Elif Aysimi A1 - Razum, Oliver A1 - Entringer, Sonja T1 - Association of maternal migrant background with inflammation during pregnancy – results of a birth cohort study in Germany T2 - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity N2 - Background Health disparities in children of immigrants are prevalent from birth and are hypothesized to – in part – emerge as a biological consequence of migration’s unfavorable social and psychological sequelae. The aim of this study was to examine whether maternal migrant background is associated with inflammation during pregnancy - a key pathway by which maternal states and conditions during pregnancy may influence fetal development and subsequent pregnancy, birth, and child developmental and health outcomes. Material and Methods Data was available from 126 pregnant women who participated in a population based multi-site prospective birth cohort study in Bielefeld and Berlin, Germany. The study included two study visits in mid- and late pregnancy. At each visit, a composite maternal pro-inflammatory score was derived from circulating levels of plasma inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP). Migrant background was defined by country of origin of participants and their parents’ (Turkey or other) and generation status (1st or 2nd generation). We applied hierarchical linear models (HLM) in order to quantify the relationship between different migrant background variables and inflammation during pregnancy after adjustment for potential confounders (including socioeconomic status). Results Migrant background was significantly associated with inflammation during pregnancy. When compared to women without migrant background, levels of inflammation were increased in 1) pregnant women with migrant background in general (B = 0.35, SE = 0.12, p < .01); 2) 1st (B = 0.28, SE = 0.15, p < .10) and 2nd generation (B = 0.40, SE = 0.15, p < .01); 3) women with a Turkish migrant background (B = 0.28, SE = 0.14, p < .10) and women with another migrant background (B = 0.42, SE = 0.15, p <.01); and 4) 2nd generation Turkish origin women (B = 0.38, SE = 0.20, p <.10), 1st generation women with other migrant background (B = 0.44, SE = 0.26, p <.10), and 2nd generation women with other migrant background (B=0.43, SE = 0.17, p <.05). Discussion Our findings support a role for maternal inflammation as a pathway of intergenerational transmission of migration-related health inequalities, suggest that the effect seems to persist in 2nd generation immigrants, and highlight the need for future research and targeted interventions in this context. KW - Transmission of Health Inequalities KW - Stress biology KW - Immigrants KW - Inflammation Y1 - 2021 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-UBICO/frontdoor/index/index/docId/27580 SN - 1090-2139 VL - Vol. 96 SP - 271 EP - 278 ER -