Modifying effect of maternal education level on association between the number of prenatal care visits and neonatal low birth weight / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the modifying effect of maternal education level on the association between the number of prenatal care visits and neonatal low birth weight (LBW). Methods: The information about women of childbearing age and their children was obtained through a survey on the status of birth defects and their risk factors in Shaanxi Province. Logistic regression model was used to explore the multiplied interaction between maternal education level or the number of prenatal care visits and neonatal low birth weight and the Excel table prepared by Andresson et al. was used to calculate the adding interaction. Results: With the increase of the number of prenatal care visits, the incidence of LBW and SGA in all the newborns and full-term infants gradually decreased. When the mother's education level was high school and above, the risk of incidence of LBW (OR=0.81, 95% CI 0.65-1.00) and SGA (OR=0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.95) in all the newborns and full-term infants (OR=0.76, 95% CI 0.60-0.97) were reduced. Also there was a reduced risk of LBW and SGA in all the newborns and full-term infants with increased times of prenatal care visits. Interaction analysis showed that the level of maternal education and the number of prenatal care visits only had multiplied interaction on LBW (OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.97) and SGA (OR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.76-0.94) in all the newborns and full-term infants (OR=0.72, 95% CI: 1.11-1.25). Conclusion: The lower education level of the mother and fewer antenatal care visits were the risk factors for the occurrence of neonatal LBW, and the level of maternal education had a modifying effect on the influence of prenatal examination on neonatal LBW. Higher maternal education can improve the effect of fewer prenatal care visits on neonates' LBW.