A convenience sample of medically low-risk women 18 through 35 years of age, Medicaid eligible, between 14 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, and fluent in English, was recruited. Self-report questionnaires to measure attachments, social support, life stress, anxiety, and psychological well-being were administered individually between 14 and 22 weeks, and between 32 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. Time I questionnaires were completed by 111 subjects, and Time II questionnaires were completed by 31 subjects. The hospital records of the participants were reviewed to determine pregnancy, labor, delivery, and newborn complications. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation, multiple regression, paired t-tests, and discriminant analyses.

Discriminate analysis was performed to assess the relative contribution of independent variables at Time I to predict newborn complications. The Time I measures significantly classified the Newborn complications in this study (Wilks’ Lambda=.792 Chi-square=17.09 df=7 p=.017). The most important discriminating factors were negative life events and the interaction of emotional support with negative life events. An additional discriminate analysis was performed to assess the relative contribution of independent variables at Time I to predict pregnancy complications. These Time I measures significantly classified the complications of pregnancy (Wilks’ Lambda=.816 Chi-square=14.77 df=7 =.039). The most important discriminating factors were state anxiety and total functional social supports.

In summary, social support, stress, and anxiety are significant factors in preventing adverse outcomes of pregnancy for low-income women.

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Back to 15th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004