Effect of Maternal Pregnancy Intention on Neonatal and Infant Healthcare Across the Continuum of Care in Ethiopia: A National Longitudinal Study Using Propensity Score Methods.
Birye Dessalegn Mekonnen, Vidanka Vasilevski, Ayele Geleto Bali and 1 others
PMID 40760995WHAT IT FOUND
Women with intended pregnancies had higher odds of early and exclusive breastfeeding and full immunisation than those with unintended pregnancies.
However, pregnancy intention showed no significant difference for essential newborn care practices among women giving birth at home.
Key findings
01Intended pregnancy was associated with 28% higher odds of early initiation of breastfeeding compared to unintended pregnancy.
02Intended pregnancy was associated with 34% higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding for six months compared to unintended pregnancy.
03Intended pregnancy was associated with 39% higher odds of full infant immunisation compared to unintended pregnancy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study did not assess impacts on infant growth, development, or care for sick newborns. All exposure and outcome data were self-reported, which risks social desirability bias. Propensity score methods cannot fully eliminate residual confounding from unobserved variables. The analysis for essential newborn care was restricted to home births, limiting generalisability to facility births.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that pregnancy intention has no impact on newborn safety. The null finding for essential newborn care applies only to home births, where care is often provided by community health workers or attendants rather than solely by the mother, potentially masking the influence of maternal intention.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →