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Unintended pregnancy and preterm birth.
S T Orr1, C A Miller, S A James
1Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. Orrs@mail.ecu.edu
Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
|December 2, 2000
Summary
Unintended pregnancies are linked to a higher risk of preterm birth. Women with unintended pregnancies had nearly double the risk of delivering prematurely, even after accounting for other risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health
- Perinatal Research
Background:
- Approximately one-third of US pregnancies are unintended, yet their health outcomes remain understudied.
- Unintended pregnancies represent a significant public health concern with potential implications for maternal and infant health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between pregnancy intendedness and the risk of preterm birth.
- To analyze preterm birth rates in a prospective cohort of women receiving prenatal care.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 922 pregnant, low-income, Black women in Baltimore City.
- Pregnancy intendedness was assessed via questionnaire and dichotomized as intended versus unintended.
- Logistic regression analysis controlled for clinical and behavioral predictors of preterm delivery.
Main Results:
- The overall preterm birth rate in the sample was 13.7%.
- Unintended pregnancy was significantly associated with preterm delivery (adjusted RR = 1.82, P = 0.026).
- Women with unintended pregnancies exhibited nearly double the risk of preterm birth compared to those with intended pregnancies, after risk adjustment.
Conclusions:
- Unintended pregnancy is a significant risk factor for preterm birth in urban, low-income Black women.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and support for women experiencing unintended pregnancies.
- Public health strategies should consider pregnancy intendedness as a factor in perinatal health outcomes.