Rede Cegonha: maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes related to prenatal consultations at intermediate risk.
Franciele Aline Machado de Brito, Marcia Moroskoski, Bianca Machado Cruz Shibawaka and 3 others
PMID 35107121WHAT IT FOUND
In intermediate-risk births in Maringá, mothers averaged 9.53 prenatal visits.
Fewer visits were weakly associated with lower 5-minute Apgar and lower birth weight, but this observational study cannot show that more visits improved outcomes.
Key findings
01Most mothers had seven to ten prenatal consultations, with a mean of 9.53; ten mothers had none.
02The number of prenatal consultations was significantly associated with marital status, education, mother's color, and pregnancy type.
03The number of prenatal consultations was positively associated with maternal age, 5-minute Apgar, and birth weight, but not with gestational age.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The data came from birth certificates, so information may be incomplete or ignored. The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot show that prenatal visits caused better outcomes. The correlations were weak, and many variables showed no significant association. The sample was from one Brazilian city and used state intermediate-risk criteria, so results may not apply elsewhere. Multiple pregnancies were counted as separate newborns, so mothers could appear more than once. The study counted consultations but did not measure the quality of prenatal care.
Declared interests
The study was financially supported by CAPES, financing code 001. No other conflicts of interest are stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that more prenatal visits caused better Apgar scores or birth weight. This was a cross-sectional analysis of birth records, and the correlations were weak; it cannot separate prenatal visits from maternal characteristics, access, or quality of care.