A prospective longitudinal study of social, psychological and obstetric factors in pregnancy: response rates and demographic characteristics of the 8556 respondents

✍ Scribed by J. D. KEEPING; J. M. NAJMAN; J. MORRISON; J. S. WESTERN; M. J. ANDERSEN; G. M. WILLIAMS

• Book ID: 111154477
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 629 KB
• Volume: 96
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1470-0328
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1989.tb02388.x

✦ Synopsis

Study of Pregnancy, a prospective study of 8556 pregnant women interviewed at their first clinic visit, and subsequently interviewed some days after the birth of the baby and again 6 months later. Additional data were derived from the medical record of the pregnancy and delivery. The study was designed to assess the impact of social, psychological and obstetric factors on pregnancy outcome. We present here details of the study design, sampling, response rates and demographic characteristics of the sample.In recent years improved diagnosis and management of obstetric complications have made a major contribution to the decline in maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity (Black et nl. 1982). The development of neonatology emphasizes thc impact of technology and intervention on reproductive outcome and there is little doubt that obstetric innovations in the years ahead will further rcduce the risks associated with childbirth. The acknowledgmcnt of these obstetric contributions, past and present, is uncquivocal. However, there is reason to believe that an ever-decreasing amount of reproductive morbidity will be influenced by purely obstetric or technological innovations.