Patient Characteristics Associated With Group Prenatal Care Attendance in a Randomized Controlled Trial

Bibliographic Data

ID15313304
AuthorsEmily A Doherty (0000-0002-5336-8584, Clemson University), Sarah F Griffin (0000-0003-4820-3985, Clemson University), Kathleen B Cartmell (0000-0001-9324-1636, Clemson University), Moonseong Heo (0000-0001-7711-1209, Clemson University, corresponding author), Liwei Chen (0000-0002-7596-9890, University of California, Los Angeles), Jessica Britt (Prisma Health), Jessica L Britt, Andre Crockett (0000-0001-9630-3716, Prisma Health), Amy H Crockett
Year2025
Volume36
Issue2
Pages151-162
Publication date2025-12-23
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWomen s Health Issues (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-3867 • E-ISSN: 1878-4321
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.whi.2025.07.005
PMID41444019
OpenAlexW7116872728
LanguageEN
References cited43

INTRODUCTION: Group prenatal care (GPNC) represents a promising alternative to individual prenatal care (IPNC) for better perinatal outcomes. Some studies suggest better perinatal outcomes with more GPNC sessions attended. The present study sought to examine patient characteristics associated with higher or lower GPNC session attendance. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected in a single-site randomized controlled trial comparing GPNC to IPNC, focusing solely on patients assigned to GPNC. The outcome of interest was GPNC session attendance. Predictors evaluated included patient sociodemographic, psychosocial, health, and health behavior characteristics. The association of patient characteristics with session attendance was assessed using Zero-Inflated Poisson regression. RESULTS: The sample (n = 1,068) was racially diverse (40.7% Black, 35.8% white, 22.1% Hispanic) and largely Medicaid eligible (92.3%). The characteristics of older age (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.00, 1.01]; p = .012), foreign nativity (aRR = 1.14; 95% CI [1.06, 1.22]; p < .001), and prenatal distress (aRR = 1.09; 95% CI [1.01, 1.19]; p = .030) were associated with higher session attendance. Being in a committed relationship but unmarried (aRR = .91; 95% CI [.85, .97]; p = .007), less than high school education (aRR = .89; 95% CI [.82, .97]; p = .007), depressive symptoms (aRR = .93; 95% CI [.87, .99]; p = .027), housing instability (aRR = .92; 95% CI [.84, .99]; p = .049), housing issues (aRR = .88; 95% CI [.80, .97]; p = .008), life stressors (aRR = .92; 95% CI [.86, .98]; p = .010), gestational diabetes (aRR = .81; 95% CI [.71, .91]; p < .001), and smoking (aRR = .92; 95% CI [.85, .99]; p = .040) were associated with lower session attendance. DISCUSSION: Patient characteristics were differentially associated with GPNC session attendance. Given that patients with less education, more depressive symptoms, housing instability, stressors, gestational diabetes, and prenatal cigarette use attended fewer sessions, adaptations to the GPNC model to reduce attendance barriers for these groups should be considered.

Attendance · Gestational age · Pregnancy · Prenatal care · Randomized controlled trial · Session (web analytics · Adolescent and Pediatric Healthcare · Healthcare Policy and Management · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

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