Prenatal care associated with neonatal outcomes in maternity hospitals: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.
Eglídia Carla Figueirêdo Vidal, Lara Leite de Oliveira, Camila Almeida Neves de Oliveira and 5 others
PMID 38362841WHAT IT FOUND
Among 440 mothers after birth, having six or fewer prenatal visits was associated with prematurity and low birth weight.
High pregnancy risk and birth outside the home municipality were also associated with low birth weight and newborn breathing support.
Key findings
01Having up to 6 prenatal visits was associated with prematurity and low birth weight, increasing reported prevalence by 2.04 and 2.35 times.
02High-risk pregnancy stratified on admission was associated with low birth weight and ventilatory support, increasing reported prevalence by 2.21 and 1.87 times.
03Delivery outside the woman's municipality of residence was associated with low birth weight and ventilatory support, increasing reported prevalence by 76% and 64%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a cross-sectional study, so it can show associations but cannot prove that prenatal care caused prematurity, low birth weight, or need for ventilatory support. The sample came from only four referral maternity hospitals in one state, so results may not apply to other regions or hospitals. Women with stillbirth, communication limitations, or complications preventing interview were excluded, so the study does not cover all births or all mothers. The paper says secondary data were under-informed and it could not estimate when HIV and syphilis tests were done during pregnancy. One reported association, between not being tested for syphilis and ventilatory support, had a confidence interval that included no effect. Several prenatal care indicators and delivery factors were analyzed together, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that increasing prenatal visits alone will prevent preterm birth or low birth weight. This was a cross-sectional study of associations in one Brazilian state, and it cannot show that any single prenatal care element caused the neonatal outcome.