Early Pregnancy Confirmation—The Role of Urine Pregnancy Test in Military Primary Care Clinics

Abstract

Pregnancy detection is a common procedure in primary care and can be challenging in the setting of military primary care clinics. The objective of this study was to determine whether the introduction of urine pregnancy tests to military primary care clinics is associated with earlier pregnancy detection. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from female soldiers, aged 18 to 20 years. Pregnancy was diagnosed using urine pregnancy tests. Ultrasonographic gestational age at presentation was compared between pregnant soldiers diagnosed in primary care clinics and pregnant soldiers diagnosed in gynecology secondary care clinics. A total of 150 female soldiers performed urine pregnancy tests in 5 different primary care clinics, from which 28 (19%) were pregnant. Mean gestational age at diagnosis was significantly lower among patients diagnosed in primary care clinics as compared with patients diagnosed in gynecology secondary care clinics (41.07 days (SD, 6.72) vs. 48.42 days (SD, 21.94), p < 0.001). In conclusion, the availability of urine pregnancy tests in the setting of military primary care clinics was strongly associated with early pregnancy detection at a time point in which presentation for both antenatal care and abortion services potentially improve maternal and neonatal health.