First-time mothers' perceptions of prenatal care services

This study sought to uncover information regarding prenatal care services as reported by primiparas. Inadequate prenatal care has been linked with the delivery of low birth weight (LBW) infants and infant mortality. This secondary analysis of a larger study (N = 426) examined the need for and availability, accessibility, and use of prenatal care services by primiparas (n = 141). Results indicated that primiparas delivering LBW infants reported less satisfaction with information on birth control and less information on infant feeding. In addition, mothers of LBW infants reported more often than mothers of normal birthweight infants that transportation and finances were barriers to prenatal care. Childbirth preparation class was the only predictor variable for birth weight in this study. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.