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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Erin Moix Grieb, MA, Lamiya Sheikh, BS, Clea Sarnquist, MPH, and Yvonne Maldonado, MD. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Cypress Hall E-15, 550 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305, 650-736-0636., cleas@stanford.edu

Background: While studies on maternal characteristics affecting prenatal care are abundant, there has been little done to determine the effect of paternal presence on pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of paternal factors on the use of prenatal care by pregnant women and birth weight of the baby.

Methods: Birth certificates from 2.6 million women in California from 2000-2004 were analyzed retrospectively. Subjects were divided into three groups by paternal presence (based on paternal race and age data): available, partly missing and totally missing. Receipt of prenatal care was categorized using the Kotelchuck index (none, inadequate, adequate and adequate plus). Univariate and multivariate analysis was done to determine differences between prenatal care and birth weight outcomes among the three groups.

Results: Pregnancies where paternal presence was ‘available' were the most likely to receive prenatal care (96.75%). Women with a ‘totally missing' paternal presence were 2.62 times as likely to receive inadequate prenatal care than those with ‘available' presence. When the father's information was missing, the baby was 1.46 times as likely to have a very low birth weight (<1500g).

Conclusion: Paternal presence can serve as a surrogate marker to clinicians for adverse outcomes of pregnancy. Births where the paternal record is partially or totally missing are at a risk for low birth weight and inadequate prenatal care.

Learning Objectives: