BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Volume 15, Issue 1, 2015

Effects of preconception counseling on maternal health care of migrant women in China: A community-based, cross-sectional survey (Article) (Open Access)

You X. , Tan H.* , Hu S. , Wu J. , Jiang H. , Peng A. , Dai Y. , Wang L. , Guo S. , Qian X.
  • a Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • b Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • c Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • d Pinghu Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Zhejiang Province, China
  • e Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • f Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • g Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • h Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
  • i United Nations Children's Fund China Country Office, Beijing, China
  • j Fudan University, Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Mailbox 138, No. 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

Abstract

Background: Migrants have long been a disadvantaged group in China's health care system, especially in terms of maternal health care. Many studies have explored the factors associated with a lack of maternal health care and found many determinants, including social, economic, behavioral, and environmental factors. However, studies focusing on factors associated with maternal health care have rarely examined preconception counseling (PCC). This study explored factors related to PCC uptake among migrant women, and investigated the association between PCC and maternal health care in migrant women. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2011, in Nanhai, Guangdong Province, and Pinghu, Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 1,012 migrant women who had their most recent pregnancy within 1 year of the survey answered a standardized interviewer-administered questionnaire about maternal health care. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Only 208 (20.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.1-23.1%) of 1,012 migrant women had received PCC. Younger age, having more than one child, lack of knowledge of maternal health care and inter-province migration were predictors of a lack of PCC. PCC was associated with higher consumption of folic acid supplements during the preconception period (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.66-4.23). Among migrants who were resident in Nanhai or Pinghu for less than 5 years, PCC was related to better quality prenatal care (AOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.79-5.24). Conclusions: The prevalence of PCC among migrant women was low (20.6%, 95% CI: 18.1-23.1%). Positive associations were found between the receipt of PCC and preconception folic acid supplements and quality prenatal care. Future studies focusing on maternal health care should pay attention to PCC and explore the effects of PCC on maternal health care through intervention studies. Continued efforts to increase PCC in migrants should target specific age groups (20-24 years), families with more than one child, and women who have migrated between provinces, as well as provide in-depth knowledge of maternal health care. © 2015 You et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

Author Keywords

Quality prenatal care Preconception counseling Folic acid supplements Maternal health care migrant

Index Keywords

maternal care China prenatal care maternal health human community prepregnancy care Odds Ratio statistics and numerical data Cross-Sectional Studies Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant Humans Preconception Care Infant, Newborn counseling male female Infant newborn preconception counseling questionnaire pregnancy prevalence standards Article health care utilization major clinical study adult migration health care quality age Quality of Health Care vitamin supplementation folic acid maternal welfare Transients and Migrants maternal health service Maternal Health Services Healthcare Disparities health care disparity attitude to health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84928711187&doi=10.1186%2fs12884-015-0485-4&partnerID=40&md5=a2330b76ea8b8769963746444addfbdf
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-015-0485-4
ISSN: 14712393
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English