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

Abstract #106720

Enrique Suarez, MD¹, Larry K. Olsen, Dr PH, CHES², Adriana Pena, BS¹, Juan Zevallos, MD³, John Moraros, MD, MPH², and Yelena Bird, MD, MPH². (1) Salud y Desarrollo Comunitario de Ciudad Juarez, A.C., P.O. Box 9737, El Paso, TX 79995, 656 616 0833, esuarez@femap.org, (2) College of Health and Social Services, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003, (3) International Global Chronic Disease Surveillance, Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, 1100 North Stanton, Suite 105, El Paso, TX 79902

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women in Juarez, Mexico face maternal and infant health risks that are exacerbated by their economic status and access to prenatal care. At present, no comprehensive database of these risk factors currently exists in Juarez. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the behavioral risks of pregnant women in Juarez that affect their personal health and that of their unborn child. METHODS: The PRAMS instrument was translated into Spanish and was pilot tested for validity and reliability. A total of 130 women were surveyed prior to their delivery and 100 were resurveyed 2 months following delivery. RESULTS: Seventy percent of the women who delivered, did not access prenatal care, and of those who did, the majority did not initiate prenatal care until after the first trimester. Twenty eight percent of the women smoked prior to their pregnancy, 14% smoked during their pregnancy, and 10% continued to smoke after the delivery. Sixteen percent consumed alcohol, and 9% used illegal drugs during their pregnancies. The majority of these risks were manifest in the 13 – 19 year age group. Nine percent of the newborn infants had to be placed in the NICU; one infant subsequently died. CONCLUSIONS: The data from the present study provide empirical evidence upon which community education and risk-reduction programs were developed. Efforts must be made to educate women of reproductive age of the importance of seeking prenatal care. Promotoras can and are being used to reverse this negative trend for the future.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the health risks pregnant women in Juarez face before, during, and after pregnancy.
• Describe the variance in health risks of pregnant women in Juarez, Mexico compared with those of pregnant women in 23 cities in the United States.
• Identify how Promotoras are being used to educate women about risk factors associated with pregnancy.

Keywords: Pregnancy Outcomes, Risk Assessment

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.

Recorded presentation