Citation
Eggleston, Elizabeth; Tsui, Amy Ong; & Kotelchuck, Milton (2001). Unintended Pregnancy and Low Birthweight in Ecuador. American Journal of Public Health, 91(5), 808-810. PMCID: PMC1446688Abstract
Objectives: This study assessed the relationship between unintended pregnancy and infant birthweight in Ecuador, differentiating between unwanted and mistimed pregnancies.Methods: Analyses focused on a subsample of women (n = 2490) interviewed in the 1994 Ecuador Demographic and Maternal-Child Health Survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between pregnancy intention status and low birthweight after control for other factors.
Results: Infants from unwanted pregnancies were more likely than infants from planned pregnancies to have low birthweight (odds ratio = 1.64, 95% confidence interval = 1.22, 2.20). Mistimed pregnancy was not associated with low birthweight.
Conclusions: Unwanted pregnancy, but not mistimed pregnancy, is associated with low birthweight in Ecuador. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism through which pregnancy intention status affects birthweight.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/ajph.91.5.808Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2001Journal Title
American Journal of Public HealthAuthor(s)
Eggleston, ElizabethTsui, Amy Ong
Kotelchuck, Milton