Reasons, health behaviors, and outcomes of no prenatal care: research that changed practice.
Changes in prenatal care practices resulted from a pilot study with 12 urban New Mexican women who received no prenatal care. The women were interviewed regarding their reasons for not receiving care during pregnancy, health behaviors, and perceived neonatal outcomes. Data on actual neonatal outcomes were taken from the medical record. Maternal reasons for no prenatal care were socio-demographic, system-related, attitudinal, and outside forces of job and childcare. To ensure a healthy baby, the women made changes in their nutrition, self-care activities, substance use, sleep, and exercise activities. All of the women perceived they had a healthy baby. Yet 61% of the neonates had complications and 45% were low birth weight. The research findings were used to develop a care management program that included case management and utilization management.
Higgins
P G
PG
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Nursing, Albuquerque, USA.
Woods
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009516:New Mexico; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires