Inadequate prenatal care use among Canadian mothers: findings from the Maternity Experiences Survey

This study aims to investigate predictors of inadequate prenatal care (PNC) use among pregnant women in Canada.

Data for this secondary analysis was drawn from the Maternity Experiences Survey, a cross sectional, nationally representative survey that assessed peri- and post-natal experiences of mothers aged 15 and above in the Canadian provinces and territories. PNC use was measured by the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine socio-economic, demographic, maternal, delivery related and health service characteristics associated with inadequate PNC use.

Prevalence of inadequate PNC was at 18.9%. Regression analysis revealed that mothers who were immigrants (odds ratio (OR)=1.40; 95% (confidence interval) CI: 1.13-1.74), primiparous (OR=1.22; 95% CI: 1.04-1.44), smoked (OR=1.33; 95% CI: 1.04-1.69) or consumed alcohol (OR=1.32; 95% CI: 1.03-1.68) during their pregnancy were more likely to receive inadequate PNC. Mothers with a family doctor as PNC provider versus those with an obstetrician (OR=1.26; 95% CI: 1.08-1.48) were more likely to have inadequate PNC.

This is the first nationwide study in Canada to examine the factors associated with inadequate PNC use. Results of this study may help design interventions that target women with profiles of socio-demographic and behavioral risk to optimize their PNC use.