The infant death rate, neonatal death rate and percent of low birth weight infants in Virginia were higher than the national rates and percentages for 1998. Infant death is an important measure of a nation's health and a worldwide indicator of health status. Low birth weight (LBW - weight < 2500 GMS), one of the critical measures of risk of neonatal death, has increased in the last ten years in the United States. The two study questions asked were: 1), What is the relationship between age, adequacy of prenatal care utilization, low birthweight and preterm birth? And 2), What is the relationship between race, adequacy of prenatal care utilization, low birthweight and preterm birth? Healthy People 2010 was used as the framework for this study. Adequacy of prenatal care utilization was measured utilizing Kotolchuck's APCUI. A secondary data analysis of the 95,208 birth certificates in Virginia for 1999 was undertaken. Descriptive statistics, ?2, ANOVA, and stepwise logistic regression were employed to analyze the data and answer the research questions. Analysis revealed that women with no prenatal care have the largest percentage of low birthweight and preterm births. However, this represents less than one-percent of the population. The most important finding of this study is that of women with any prenatal care the women who have more than the recommended number of prenatal visits have the largest percentage and number of infants born at LBW and preterm.
Learning Objectives: 1) To assess the relationship between age, adequacy of prenatal care utilization, low birthweight and preterm birth, and 2) To assess the relationship between race, adequacy of prenatal care utilization, low birthweight and preterm birth
Keywords: Prenatal Care, Low Birthweight
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.