Socioeconomic inequalities in birth outcomes: An 11-year analysis in Colombia.

Abstract

ObjectiveTo examine socioeconomic inequalities in birth outcomes among infants born between 2008 and 2018 and assessed trends in inequalities during that period in Colombia, a middle-income country with high levels of inequality emerging from a long internal armed conflict.MethodsUsing birth certificate data in Colombia, we analysed the outcomes of low birth weight, an Apgar score ResultsAmong the 5,433,265 full-term singleton births analysed, there was a slight improvement in the outcomes analysed over the study period (lower low-birth-weight and ApgarConclusionThe lack of a consistent improvement in the magnitude of inequalities in birth outcomes over an 11-year period is a worrying issue because it could aggravate the cycle of inequality, given the influence of birth outcomes on health, social and economic outcomes throughout the life course. The findings of our analysis emphasize the importance of policies aimed at providing access to quality education and providing a health care system with universal coverage and high levels of integration.