Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
Contraception. 2012 Jan;85(1):78-82. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2011.04.011. Epub 2011 Jun 8.
This study was performed to assess women's knowledge of the health risks of pregnancy and how their assessment of pregnancy risks compared to their estimates of the risks of oral contraceptives.
A survey, which asked both open-ended and specific questions about the health benefits and risks of pregnancy, was administered verbally on a one-on-one basis to nonpregnant, English-speaking, reproductive-age women.
Of the 248 women who provided information for analysis, over one quarter of women could not correctly name any health risk associated with pregnancy. When shown a list of potential health risks, only 13.3% correctly identified all the health problems that increased in pregnancy. Only 49% knew that risks of venous thromboembolism (VTE), diabetes and hypertension increase in pregnancy; 30.6% did not know that VTE risk increases. Over 75% of respondents rated birth control pills as more hazardous to a woman's health than pregnancy. The greater the women's education, the more likely she was to believe that oral contraceptives are riskier than pregnancy.
This pilot project clearly demonstrates a need to assess women's understanding of the health hazards of pregnancy on a national level. Underestimation of pregnancy risks can lead to contraceptive method discontinuation, can decrease motivation to seek preconceptional care and can lead to greater medicolegal liability for providers of obstetrical care.
本研究旨在评估女性对妊娠健康风险的认知，以及她们对妊娠风险的评估与对口服避孕药风险的估计相比如何。
采用面对面的方式，对非妊娠、英语流利、处于生育年龄的女性进行了一项调查，询问了有关妊娠益处和风险的开放性和具体问题。
在提供分析信息的 248 名女性中，超过四分之一的女性无法正确说出与妊娠相关的任何健康风险。当向她们展示一份潜在健康风险清单时，只有 13.3%的人正确识别了所有在妊娠中增加的健康问题。只有 49%的人知道静脉血栓栓塞（VTE）、糖尿病和高血压的风险在妊娠中增加；30.6%的人不知道 VTE 风险增加。超过 75%的受访者认为避孕药对女性健康的危害大于妊娠。女性受教育程度越高，她就越有可能认为口服避孕药比妊娠更危险。
本试点项目清楚地表明，有必要在全国范围内评估女性对妊娠健康危害的理解程度。对妊娠风险的低估可能导致避孕方法的停用，降低寻求孕前保健的动力，并增加产科保健提供者的医疗法律责任。
