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Published on: January 12, 2018
Knowledge and attitudes regarding preconception care in a predominantly low-income Mexican American population
Dean V Coonrod1, Natalie C Bruce, Theresa D Malcolm
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, Maricopa Integrated Health System/MedPro, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to determine knowledge and attitudes regarding preconception care in a low-income Mexican American population.
Study Design:
This was a cross-sectional survey of 305 reproductive-age women at an urban public hospital.
Results:
The sample was mostly Hispanic (88%) and pregnant (68%); 35% had not completed high school. Eighty-nine percent agreed that improving preconception health benefits pregnancy. Seventy-seven percent expressed some interest in preconception health care with the obstetrics gynecology office at the preferred location. The average knowledge of preconception care score was 76% (higher score more favorable). Areas of higher knowledge included the effects on pregnancy of folic acid; alcohol use; substance use; and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse; lower knowledge was found for the effects of cat litter and fish products.
Conclusion:
There was interest in preconception education and agreement that preconception health has a positive effect on pregnancy. Fewer respondents agreed that it had a good effect than a suburban sample in the same region (89% vs 98%).
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