[Pregnancies without prenatal care--which women are potentially affected, what are the inherent fetal risks?]

In the past decades prenatal care has lead to a reduction in maternal and fetal-neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, the number of examinations that should be recommended - especially in low-risk pregnancies - is still unclear.

Women not taking part in prenatal care resemble a subgroup of pregnant women at risk. The objective of this study was to define characteristic parameters based on patient's history and clinical outcome and which maternal and fetal-neonatal morbidity has to be taken into account.

From 913 255 data sets of the Perinatal Registry Lower Saxony, Germany, between 1987 and 1999 n = 2 208 pregnancies (0.24 %) were documented as 'not taken part in prenatal care', while n = 163 143 pregnancies were identified as having undergone optimal prenatal care according to the recommendations. Both groups were compared regarding pregnancy associated and obstetrical parameters. Data are given as odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for pregnancies without any prenatal care vs. pregnancies with standard prenatal care.

History of still birth: OR 1.750 (1.175 - 2.609), p < 0.05; mother single: 7.271 (6.603 - 8.006), p < 0.01; maternal age < 18 yrs: 9.904 (7.771 - 12.624), p < 0.01; maternal age > 40 yrs: 3.781 (2.900 - 4.907), p < 0.01; German vs. other origin: 0.214 (0.196 - 0.234), p < 0.01; preterm birth: 2.667 (2.380 - 2.989), p < 0.01; cesarean section: 0.728 (0.644 - 0.823), p < 0.05; birth weight < 5 %: 2.552 (2.140 - 2.943), p < 0.01; APGAR at 1 min < 3: 5.463 (4.521 - 6.602), p < 0.01; umbilical artery pH < 7.0: 2.941 (1.753 - 4.932), p < 0.01; neonatal intubation: 3.945 (3.244 - 4.797), p > 0.01; still birth: 6.089 (4.731 - 7.838), p < 0.01; death post partum: 4.444 (3.008 - 6.567), p < 0.01.

Pregnant women not taking part in prenatal care are younger or older, more frequently foreigners, and present characteristics of a lower socioeconomic status. These pregnancies are associated with a very high potential of neonatal morbidity. From a both medical and economic point of view, it appears to be reasonable to specifically look after those women before or during pregnancy.