Antenatal care seems to be a significant contributor to low birth weight (LBW) babies, preterm birth, obstetric complications, and neonatal mortality. Widespread apply of prenatal care is often related to high-risk pregnancies; though the effects of prenatal care on unpleasant pregnancy outcomes in such pregnancies have not been widely discovered. Suitable prenatal screening and counseling are ...

OBJECTIVE To analyze the association between physical violence by an intimate partner (PVIP) and the inappropriate use of prenatal care services. METHODS A nested cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,026 women, based on data from a prospective cohort study designed to investigate intimate partner violence among pregnant women enrolled in the Family Health Program (PSF) in Recife, Northe...

CONTEXT To improve the uptake of prenatal care, it is important to know how the use of prenatal care varies by maternal attitudes and social and demographic factors. METHODS Information about social and demographic variables, prenatal care, parity, pregnancy planning, abortion attempts, satisfaction with pregnancy and satisfaction with the relationship with the child's father was collected fr...