Disparity in prenatal care in Europe. Study group on barriers and incentives to prenatal care in Europe.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to compare prenatal care attendance in European Union countries, Hungary and Norway.


METHODS
We analysed live births or deliveries from national registers in five countries, national surveys in five countries, and regional register or surveys in three countries.


RESULTS
The frequency of no prenatal care was lower than 0.5% in 10 countries, 0.9% in Hungary, 2.1% in Greece and 2.6% in Portugal. Late prenatal care varied from 3.1% in Finland to 29.2% in Ireland. Late care among women with parity 4 and more varied from 7.7% in Finland to 41.5% in Hungary. Among women under 20 years old, late care varied from 11.8% in Finland to 39.5% in Portugal. The median number of prenatal visits varied from seven in Greece to 14 in Finland.


CONCLUSIONS
Prenatal care attendance varies widely among European countries. Late attendance is frequent in many countries.
Delvaux
T
T
School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.
Buekens
P
P
D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries