1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« The objectives of the present study were to construct a score representing pregnancy planning intensity, to describe the distribution of the pregnancy planning score in the population of women giving birth, and to identify sociodemographic predictors of the pregnancy planning score and its association with vitamin supplement use. » (p. 64)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
1858 women
Instruments :
Questionnaire
Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« Background: In order to decrease the risk of neural tube defects (NTD), all women planning pregnancy or capable of becoming pregnant should take folic acid supplements. The aim of the study was to describe the association between pregnancy planning and vitamin supplement use.
Methods: A total of 1,858 pregnant women registered for a prenatal ultrasound examination in the Montéregie region, Province of Quebec, Canada, completed a questionnaire between November 1997 and May 1998. Pregnancy planning was described by 6 ordinal variables, which were included in a non-linear principal component analysis. The main dimension representing the intensity of pregnancy planning was used as the dependent variable in a multivariate linear regression model, and as a basis for assessing vitamin use according to four levels of planning.
Results: A majority of women scored high for intensity of pregnancy planning. Planning intensity score increased with age and was higher among women who attended university, had a family income greater than CAD $30,000 and were married. Vitamin use in the period prior to conception occurred with a frequency of 27.5%, increasing moderately with planning intensity scores. Overall, only 13.5% of fetuses were exposed to adequate doses of folic acid.
Conclusion: A promotion campaign selectively targeting women likely to plan a pregnancy could have a significant impact in reducing NTD incidence. » (p. 62)