title: How have the lives of pregnant women changed in the last 30 years?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To what extent have the characteristics and needs of pregnant women changed over time? This cross-sectional, comparative study describes some socio-demographic, mental health and lifestyle characteristics of two samples of pregnant women assessed 30 years apart.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited two samples of pregnant women who were attending their first clinic visit at the same large Queensland maternity hospital 30 years apart between 1981 to 1984 (Sample A, N=6753) and 2011-2012 (Sample B, N=2156). The women were compared using the same survey tool. Descriptive statistics are presented. Pearson's chi-square tests were undertaken (significance at <0.05) to determine how the characteristics and needs of pregnant women may be changing over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women, recently sampled, were older, more highly-educated and were more likely to be living with, but not married to, their partners, as well as having their first baby, than were women 30 years ago. As well, recently sampled, pregnant women were more likely to be non-smokers, to have higher body mass indexes and more symptoms of anxiety, but were less likely to be having an unplanned pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found a number of differences between the socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyles and mental health of two samples of pregnant women assessed 30 years apart. Our findings suggest the need for ongoing monitoring of pregnant women to determine changing health priorities. Being more educated, today's women may be more amenable to health education interventions. Higher body mass indexes for recently sampled women, highlights an emerging problem that needs to be addressed.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia. Electronic address: ann.kingsburyhumphreys@uqconnect.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kingsbury
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia. Electronic address: kristen.gibbons@mater.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia; Head, Mater Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia. Electronic address: h.d.mcintyre@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia. Electronic address: anne.tremellen@mater.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tremellen
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia. Electronic address: vicki.flenady@mater.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Flenady
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Mater Mothers' Hospital, Mater Health Services, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia. Electronic address: shelley.wilkinson@mater.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia. Electronic address: mamun@sph.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Abullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamun
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia. Electronic address: j.najman@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jake M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Najman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D011793:Queensland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Mental health; Obesity; Pregnancy; Smoking