Stability of pregnancy context and quality of life measures among a diverse cohort

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to assess 3-month stability of pregnancy context and quality of life measures. Methods: English- or Spanish-speaking women, aged 15–44, at less than 24 weeks' gestation, completed self-assessments of pregnancy context, specifically: timing, intention, wantedness, desirability, happiness, planning and quality of life measured by the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Short Form at enrollment and 3-month telephone follow-up. Results: We enrolled 162 women from June 2014 to June 2015. Participants were on average aged 27 (±6.6) and at 9 (±4.6) weeks' gestation. Some 77% had newly positive pregnancy tests; 23% were presenting for abortion. Participants were culturally diverse: 42% self-identified as Hispanic, 37% Black, 14% non-Hispanic White and 7% non-Hispanic and multiracial. Most (75%) completed follow-up: 58% were still pregnant, 30% had abortions and 12% miscarried (and were excluded from further analysis). Reports of pregnancy timing, intention, wantedness, happiness and planning were stable at follow-up. However, women continuing pregnancy were less likely to report the pregnancy as desired and more likely to report “not sure” or “not desired” at follow-up than they were at enrollment (p<.0001). Pregnancies occurring at the wrong time, or that were unintended, unwanted, undesired, unplanned or caused unhappiness were more likely to end in abortion (p<.0001 for all). Quality of life remained stable for women continuing pregnancy. Women terminating pregnancies had higher physical quality of life (p=.0004) but no change in mental quality of life at follow-up, compared with enrollment. Conclusions: Self-assessments of pregnancy context remained stable at 3-month follow-up, with expected associations with pregnancy continuation versus termination. Women who terminated their pregnancies reported improvements in physical but not mental quality of life.