Streamlining Universal Prenatal Screening for Risk for Adverse Birth Outcomes

Many of the medical risk factors for adverse birth outcomes (e.g., preeclampsia) are regularly monitored in prenatal care. However, many of the psychosocial risk factors associated with adverse birth outcomes (e.g., maternal stress, anxiety, depression, intimate partner violence) are not regularly addressed during routine prenatal care. Comprehensive prenatal screening for psychosocial risk factors for adverse birth outcomes can improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. In this study, we examine an existing tool for opportunities to streamline and improve screening.

We reviewed medical records for 528 mother-infant dyads, recording maternal responses to a 21-item prenatal risk screening tool, and gestational age/birth weight of infants. Multiple approaches to scoring were used to predict likelihood of adverse birth outcome.

Women who answered yes to any of the top four interrelated items were 3.32 times more likely to have an adverse birth outcome. Sensitivity and specificity were 68% and 65%, respectively.

We identified a short surveillance tool to identify women who are at highest risk and require more in-depth screening, and to rule out women who are at very low risk of an adverse birth outcome.