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[Unplanned pregnancy in Portugal]
1Serviço de Higiene e Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto.
Acta Medica Portuguesa
|May 1, 1997
Summary
Nearly 40% of Portuguese women experienced unplanned pregnancies, linked to inadequate prenatal care and increased preterm birth risk. Identifying risk factors is crucial for improving perinatal health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Health
- Reproductive Health Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Unplanned pregnancies pose significant public health challenges.
- Understanding risk factors and outcomes is vital for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of unplanned pregnancy in Portuguese women.
- To identify risk profiles associated with unplanned pregnancies.
- To evaluate the impact of unplanned pregnancy on prenatal care and birth outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A national survey of 1582 deliveries across 41 Portuguese hospitals.
- Classification of pregnancies as planned or unplanned.
- Comparison of socio-demographic, behavioral, clinical, obstetric, and anthropometric characteristics.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of unplanned pregnancy was 39.4%.
- Risk factors included younger/older maternal age, previous pregnancies, and lower educational attainment.
- Unplanned pregnancy was associated with inadequate prenatal care (OR=2.5) and preterm birth (Adjusted OR=1.7).
Conclusions:
- High prevalence of unplanned pregnancy in Portugal.
- Unplanned pregnancy is linked to underutilization of prenatal care.
- Unplanned pregnancy independently increases the risk of preterm birth, a critical perinatal health issue.