MATERNITY CARE FOR HISPANIC WOMEN WHO CROSS TO THE UNITED-STATES SIDEOF THE MEXICO BORDER

Medical chart abstracts and interviews were conducted among 587 Hispan ic women within the first 72 hours following childbirth in any of five hospitals in San Diego County in 1991-1992. Demographic and maternal/ infant obstetrical outcome data from 83 women who admitted that they h ad crossed the US/Mexico Border to receive reproductive health service s were compared with data from women who did not cross the Border. Bor der crossers were younger, less conversant in English, and more financ ially vulnerable. Several barriers existed for women in both groups th at prevented entering and remaining within prenatal care programmes. O utcome data were favorable despite these adverse risk factors.