title: Current pregnancy among women with spinal cord injury: findings from the US national spinal cord injury database.
abstract: METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prevalence of pregnancy and associations with sociodemographic and clinical factors among women with spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  US National Spinal Cord Injury Database, an SCI registry that interviews participants 1, 5 and then every 5 years post injury. Data include SCI clinical details, functional impairments, participation measures, depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Women aged 18-49 are asked about hospitalizations in the last year relating to pregnancy or its complications. Data represent 1907 women, who completed 3054 interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used generalized estimating equations to examine bivariable associations between pregnancy and clinical and psychosocial variables and to perform multivariable regressions predicting pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across all women, 2.0% reported pregnancy during the prior 12 months. This annual prevalence differed significantly by the years elapsed since injury; the highest rate occurred 15 years post injury (3.7%). Bivariable analyses found that younger age at injury was significantly associated with current pregnancy (P<0.0001). Compared with nonpregnant women, those reporting current pregnancy were significantly more likely to be married or partnered, have sport-related SCI, have higher motor scores and have more positive psychosocial status scores. Multivariable analyses found significant associations between current pregnancy and age, marital status, motor score and mobility and occupation scale scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current pregnancy rates among reproductive-aged women with SCI are similar to rates of other US women with chronic mobility impairments. More information is needed about pregnancy experiences and outcomes to inform both women with SCI seeking childbearing and clinicians providing their care.
authors.affiliation: Mongan Institute for Health Policy, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Iezzoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: A B J
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: McLain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult