Linking high-risk, low-income, pregnant women to public health services

Utilization of public health services by high-risk pregnant women is contingent on women's awareness of those services. This article reports on an evaluation of public health promotional methods and compares high-risk pregnant women users of public health services to eligible nonusers. For women who used public health services, the two most frequently reported sources of information were a public health nurse or a friend. Users of services in contrast with nonusers tended to have had fewer pregnancies, lower income, and use WIC. They were also less likely to attend church and to have more contact with their child's school. These findings can assist agencies in planning outreach activities.