Pregnancy intention and health behaviors: results from the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study cohort.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to determine whether intention for future pregnancy affects selected preconception health behaviors that may impact pregnancy outcomes.


METHODS
Analyses are based on data from a population-based cohort study of women ages 18-45 residing in Central Pennsylvania. A subsample of 847 non-pregnant women with reproductive capacity comprise the analytic sample. We determined the associations between intention for future pregnancy and the pattern in the following health behaviors over a 2-year period: nutrition (fruit and vegetable consumption), folic acid supplementation, physical activity, binge drinking, smoking, and vaginal douching. Multivariable analyses controlled for pregnancy-related variables, health status, health care utilization, and sociodemographic variables.


RESULTS
At baseline, 9% of women were considering pregnancy in the next year, 37% of women were considering pregnancy some other time in the future, and 53% of women were not considering future pregnancy. In multivariable analyses, there were no associations between intention for future pregnancy and maintaining healthy behavior or improving behavior for any of the seven longitudinal health behaviors studied.


CONCLUSIONS
The importance of nutrition, folic acid supplementation, physical activity, avoiding binge drinking, not smoking, and avoiding vaginal douching in the preconception period needs to be emphasized by health care providers and policy makers.
Chuang
Cynthia H
CH
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, 600 Centerview Drive, A210, Hershey, PA 17033-0850, USA. cchuang@psu.edu
Weisman
Carol S
CS
Hillemeier
Marianne M
MM
Schwarz
Eleanor Bimla
EB
Camacho
Fabian T
FT
Dyer
Anne-Marie
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult