title: Low-income women's recommendations for promoting early pregnancy recognition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explored low-income women's perspectives on how to promote early recognition of pregnancy as one strategy to address community residents' concerns related to unintended pregnancy. Unintended pregnancy, which is more prevalent among low-income women and minorities, has been associated with various adverse pregnancy outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used the ideological perspective of community-based participatory research. Six focus groups were conducted in 3 low-income, urban, medically underserved neighborhoods with ethnically diverse populations. Neighborhood women who were either pregnant or had experienced a pregnancy within 3 years were invited to participate in the study. A structured interview guide focused the discussion on how to promote early recognition of pregnancy within the existing context of unintended pregnancies in the neighborhoods. Focus-group sessions were audiotaped, then transcribed verbatim; the data were analyzed using an open-coding template approach assisted by QSR NVivo 8 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one women aged 18 to 44 years participated in the study. Thirty-nine percent were African American, 24.4% were Hispanic/Latino, 19.5% were American Indians, and 17.1% were white. Three primary themes were identified: 1) women should know the menstrual/ovulation and pregnancy-related changes that occur in their bodies; 2) women should be prepared to confirm their pregnancies early, as soon as they suspect they may be pregnant; and 3) both information and emotional support are needed for pregnancy-related issues. "Knowing your body" was the strongest advice to promote early recognition of pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The participants in this study suggested that education about reproductive changes should be initiated during early adolescence and in the preconception period. Early testing and confirmation of pregnancy should also be promoted, especially for women who have unprotected intercourse. Local resources for information and emotional support during pregnancy should be accessible to women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Calvin College, 1734 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, USA. aba3@calvin.edu
authors.forename: Adejoke B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Ayoola
authors.forename: Gail L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Zandee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004644:Emotions; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008598:Menstruation; D010060:Ovulation; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D012944:Social Support; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: community-based participatory research; low-income women; preconception care; pregnancy recognition; prenatal care; reproductive knowledge