[Characteristics of pregnant women and routine antenatal care in Barcelona, 1994-1999]

OBJECTIVE

To analyse socio-demographic and pregnancy-control aspects of pregnant women residents in Barcelona city and their evolution during the period 1994-1999 using the controls of the Barcelona Birth Defects Registry.

METHODS

The information was collected by mean of an interview to the mother and from hospital records. The Mantel-Haenszel method for lineal association was used to analyse trends. A chi-squared test for proportions was used to compare pregnancy-control variables between public and private centers.

RESULTS

Data on 1,337 pregnant women were obtained. An increasing proportion of women older than 34 years is observed, from 19% in 1994-95 to 25% in 1998-99. An increase in the social class and a decrease of housewives is noticed. 40% of pregnancies were not planned and half of these finished in induced abortion. These proportions are higher in less than 25 and more than 39 years old mothers. 97% had their first obstetrical visit during the first trimester, almost all had at least an obstetrical ultrasound with a mean of 5.2, although 25% of the mothers did not undergo an ecography during the 5th month. An increase of invasive procedures and caesarean sections (C-section) is shown, with 33% of C-sections in the 98-99 period. The medical control of pregnancies is higher in mothers delivering in private centers, which are 55% of the total.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high lack of pregnancy planning, as well as an increasing pregnancy medicalization, with positive (first trimester visit) and debatable aspects (obstetrical ultrasound, caesarean section and invasive procedures).