Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104345

Kari L. White, MA, MPH¹, Enrique R. Pouget¹, Trace S. Kershaw, PhD¹, Claire Westdahl, CNM, MPH, FACNM², Sharon Rising, MSN, CNM, FACNM³, and Jeannette R. Ickovics, PhD¹. (1) Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University, 135 College St, Suite 323, New Haven, CT 06510, (203) 785-6029, kari.white@yale.edu, (2) School of Medicine - Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, 69 Jesse Hill, Jr Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303, (3) Centering Pregnancy and Parenting Association, 50 Mountain Rd, Chesire, CT 06410

Objective: To determine if factors associated with prenatal distress differed among racial/ethnic groups of low-income young women attending a prenatal care clinic. Methodology: Young women ages 14-25 (n=492) were recruited from an urban prenatal care clinic at routine appointments and completed a survey on prenatal distress between 14 and 24 weeks gestational age. Women were African-American (60%), Latina (28%) and Caucasian/other (12%). Results: Profile analysis by race/ethnicity of 17 individual items measuring prenatal distress revealed significantly different profiles between the three groups. Post-hoc analyses showed that African-American women experienced significantly more distress regarding their ongoing health than Caucasians, and experienced significantly more distress regarding relationship changes and physical symptoms than Latinas. Latinas were more concerned about their ability to pay for medical care than African-Americans. Caucasian women experienced significantly more distress than both groups regarding potential effects of alcohol and drug use on the baby and what will happen during labor (all p<.05). There was no difference between groups in overall prenatal distress, with all groups reporting moderate to high levels distress. Conclusion: Although all young women in this study reported prenatal distress during the second trimester of pregnancy, sources of this distress differed among racial/ethnic groups. Prenatal care providers should identify population-specific sources of distress and incorporate culturally appropriate support interventions into care to improve birth outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify sources of prenatal distress among different ethnic groups of young women
• Describe how providers can address prenatal distress in a culturally appropriate fashion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.