Association Between Early Prenatal Care and Mother’s Intention of and Desire for the Pregnancy

Abstract

To examine the associations between having planned to become pregnant and valuing an unintended pregnancy with seeking early prenatal care. This historical cohort study, using data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), Cycle V (1995), examined separately the associations of having a planned pregnancy (timing of pregnancy) and valuing an unintended pregnancy (feelings about the pregnancy) with timing of initiation of prenatal care. The NSFG was based on a national probability sample of women ages 15 to 44 (N= 1,989). Timing of initiation of prenatal care (early or late/no). Early prenatal care was defined as care sought within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. It was hypothesized that unwanted and unintended pregnancies were predictors of late or no prenatal care. In agreement with previous research using logistic regression, unwanted pregnancy was found to be a predictor of late/no prenatal care. Black ethnicity also was found to be a predictor of late/no prenatal care. Interventions that are sensitive to culture and involve patient education regarding family planning are needed.