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18/09/2014
The findings, which have been published in the journal BJOG, added that more focus is now needed to improve the care available to those mothers-to-be.
Funded by the National Institute for Health Research, the study by Oxford University looked at the experiences and outcomes of maternity care among women from different socio-economic groups, to try and improve understanding as to why socially disadvantaged women in the UK have poorer maternal health outcomes.
A secondary analysis of the 2010 National Maternity Survey was carried out in 2012, using a selection of 5,332 women in England who had given birth within the past three months. Their socio-economic position was classified using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile – broken down into five different groups – and consisted of distinct dimensions of deprivation, such as disability, employment, health and income.
The findings revealed that of the most deprived women (quintile five), 60% were less likely to receive any antenatal care, while 38% were less likely to have been seen by a health professional before 12 weeks' gestation. A further 47% were also less likely to report seeing a health professional as early as they desired in their pregnancy, when compared to the least deprived women (quintile one).
In addition, with each increase in IMD quintile – where the socio-economic position of a woman decreased – the mothers are 25% less likely to have any antenatal care, 15% more likely to have had an unplanned caesarean section and 15% less likely to have a routine postnatal check up.
The report claimed they are also more likely to have had an antenatal hospital admission (4%), as well as being transferred during labour (7%) and having a caesarean (4%).
As the socio-economic position also decreased, more women said they were not treated respectfully, or spoken to in a way they understood, by doctors and midwives during their care.
Professor Marian Knight, from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford and co-author of the study, commented: "There is a need for careful planning and development of strategies to address the possible reasons for these differences in healthcare delivery and outcomes.
"The findings from our analysis suggest that several factors may collectively contribute towards poorer maternal outcomes amongst women from the lowest socioeconomic groups.
"These include unplanned pregnancy, no antenatal care or late engagement with antenatal services, transfer during labour, higher caesarean section rates and poorer communication with healthcare professionals."
John Thorp, BJOG Deputy Editor-in-chief, added: "This is a highly complex issue and resolving the root cause of such disparities on a national scale is not an easy task.
"The findings, however, do highlight a need for further initiatives to improve the continuity of maternity care and service provision with a greater focus on socially disadvantaged women, as well as better targeted maternal public health education."
www.bjog.org
(JP/IT)
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Poorer Women Experience Worse Maternity Care
Women who come from a lower socio-economic group are more likely to experience poorer maternity care, a new study has revealed.The findings, which have been published in the journal BJOG, added that more focus is now needed to improve the care available to those mothers-to-be.
Funded by the National Institute for Health Research, the study by Oxford University looked at the experiences and outcomes of maternity care among women from different socio-economic groups, to try and improve understanding as to why socially disadvantaged women in the UK have poorer maternal health outcomes.
A secondary analysis of the 2010 National Maternity Survey was carried out in 2012, using a selection of 5,332 women in England who had given birth within the past three months. Their socio-economic position was classified using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile – broken down into five different groups – and consisted of distinct dimensions of deprivation, such as disability, employment, health and income.
The findings revealed that of the most deprived women (quintile five), 60% were less likely to receive any antenatal care, while 38% were less likely to have been seen by a health professional before 12 weeks' gestation. A further 47% were also less likely to report seeing a health professional as early as they desired in their pregnancy, when compared to the least deprived women (quintile one).
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In addition, with each increase in IMD quintile – where the socio-economic position of a woman decreased – the mothers are 25% less likely to have any antenatal care, 15% more likely to have had an unplanned caesarean section and 15% less likely to have a routine postnatal check up.
The report claimed they are also more likely to have had an antenatal hospital admission (4%), as well as being transferred during labour (7%) and having a caesarean (4%).
As the socio-economic position also decreased, more women said they were not treated respectfully, or spoken to in a way they understood, by doctors and midwives during their care.
Professor Marian Knight, from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford and co-author of the study, commented: "There is a need for careful planning and development of strategies to address the possible reasons for these differences in healthcare delivery and outcomes.
"The findings from our analysis suggest that several factors may collectively contribute towards poorer maternal outcomes amongst women from the lowest socioeconomic groups.
"These include unplanned pregnancy, no antenatal care or late engagement with antenatal services, transfer during labour, higher caesarean section rates and poorer communication with healthcare professionals."
John Thorp, BJOG Deputy Editor-in-chief, added: "This is a highly complex issue and resolving the root cause of such disparities on a national scale is not an easy task.
"The findings, however, do highlight a need for further initiatives to improve the continuity of maternity care and service provision with a greater focus on socially disadvantaged women, as well as better targeted maternal public health education."
www.bjog.org
(JP/IT)
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20/03/2020
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