Prenatal Care Visits and Infant Birth Weight in Georgia: Using CDC 2016-2020 PRAMS Data
Abstract
As a public health concern, the southeastern region of the United States stands out as an area with consistently elevated levels of Low Birth Weight (LBW). Prenatal care is not only important to avoid or reduce pregnancy complications for mothers, but also for infant health outcomes such as preterm birth, LBW, and mortality. Babies of mothers who do not receive prenatal care are three times more likely to be LBW and five times more likely to die. This pattern is especially pronounced within the state of Georgia, which ranks among the highest for LBW rates. According to March of Dimes, between 2019 and 2021, LBW rates in Georgia were highest among black infants, with 14.8%, followed by Asian/Pacific Islanders at 9.8%, American Indian/Alaska Natives at 8.0%, and Whites at 7.3%. Black infants were twice as likely to be born with low birthweight compared to white infants. It is noteworthy that one of the goals of the Healthy People 2030 is to increase the proportion of pregnant women who receive early and adequate prenatal care to 80.5%.
This study aims to investigate the association between prenatal care utilization and birth weight, while controlling for potential confounding factors such as maternal age, education, race, and socioeconomic status in the state of Georgia. The analysis utilizes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) spanning the years 2016 to 2020.
Ordinal logistic regression models are employed and preliminary findings suggest a significant relationship between prenatal care utilization and birth weight, with a focus on controlling for potential confounding variables. The study seeks to provide insights into the nuanced interplay between prenatal care and birth outcomes, acknowledging the multifaceted nature of maternal characteristics that may influence child health.
Keywords
prenatal, birthweight, Georgia, infant, SDOH
Prenatal Care Visits and Infant Birth Weight in Georgia: Using CDC 2016-2020 PRAMS Data
As a public health concern, the southeastern region of the United States stands out as an area with consistently elevated levels of Low Birth Weight (LBW). Prenatal care is not only important to avoid or reduce pregnancy complications for mothers, but also for infant health outcomes such as preterm birth, LBW, and mortality. Babies of mothers who do not receive prenatal care are three times more likely to be LBW and five times more likely to die. This pattern is especially pronounced within the state of Georgia, which ranks among the highest for LBW rates. According to March of Dimes, between 2019 and 2021, LBW rates in Georgia were highest among black infants, with 14.8%, followed by Asian/Pacific Islanders at 9.8%, American Indian/Alaska Natives at 8.0%, and Whites at 7.3%. Black infants were twice as likely to be born with low birthweight compared to white infants. It is noteworthy that one of the goals of the Healthy People 2030 is to increase the proportion of pregnant women who receive early and adequate prenatal care to 80.5%.
This study aims to investigate the association between prenatal care utilization and birth weight, while controlling for potential confounding factors such as maternal age, education, race, and socioeconomic status in the state of Georgia. The analysis utilizes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) spanning the years 2016 to 2020.
Ordinal logistic regression models are employed and preliminary findings suggest a significant relationship between prenatal care utilization and birth weight, with a focus on controlling for potential confounding variables. The study seeks to provide insights into the nuanced interplay between prenatal care and birth outcomes, acknowledging the multifaceted nature of maternal characteristics that may influence child health.
