title: The content of prenatal care and its relationship to preterm birth in Alberta, Canada.
abstract: Prenatal care is universally acknowledged as the hallmark of preventive care for pregnant women, and it is commonly assumed to have a positive influence on birth outcomes. The results of studies that have examined the impact of prenatal care on adverse birth outcomes, however, have been equivocal. These investigations have focused primarily on initiation of prenatal care and its timing, and not on the content of care received. Using data obtained from maternal self-reports and an electronic perinatal database, we examined the relationship between selected components of prenatal care (i.e., medical management, health education, and health advice) and the birth of a preterm infant. We found that health care providers are meeting the clinical guidelines for the medical management of pregnancy, but they are not adequately meeting pregnant women's needs for health education and advice. We found no association between the content of prenatal care and the birth of a preterm infant. Prenatal care must focus more on providing health education and advice to pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. dwhit@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Deborah E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Nonie J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Fraser-Lee
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tough
authors.forename: Christine V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Newburn-Cook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires