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Preconception Care and Planning

Every year in the U.S.

• 4 million babies are born
• 12% of babies are born too soon -premature
• 8% are born with low birth weight
• 3% have major birth defects
• 31% of women suffer pregnancy complications
• 30% or more will give have surgery/cesarean section

Solutions for planning a healthy pregnancy (even years in advance!)

• Nutrition and Physical Activity
• Weight management
• Folic acid, iron, calcium intake
• Mental Health
• Get help with domestic violence and other family stress
• Substance abuse help for Drugs Alcohol Smoking
• Screening, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, herpes and Chlamydia
• Baby spacing — two years between babies!

Closer to home...

• In Florida in 2003, 3,372,847 women were of reproductive age (between the ages 15 to 44 years).
• Florida women gave birth to 212,243 infants.
• The woman’s health prior to pregnancy impacted birth outcomes.
• The graph below (click image to enlarge) shows the percentages of health behaviors and experiences of women just prior to becoming pregnant in Florida during 1998 and 2003. These data come from Florida’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).
• Data from the 27 states including Florida that collect PRAMS data are also provided.
• For additional information on PRAMS, visit this website.
  
  Percentage of Live Births by Maternal Health Behavior
  and Experiences Prior to Pregnancy, Florida PRAMS 1998 and 2003,
  All 27 PRAMS States 2003.

 

The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a random population-based surveillance system of maternal behaviors and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy. The PRAMS collects data on maternal health and behaviors, prenatal and postpartum care, and infant health. The Florida Department of Health has conducted the survey annually since 1993 in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other states.

Florida is Different From All 27 PRAMS States (by More Than 10%):

A higher percentage in Florida than for 27 PRAMS states: 45.7% of women reported
not having health insurance prior to becoming pregnant.

A lower percentage in Florida than for 27 PRAMS states: 21.8% of women who drank
alcohol drank 5 or fewer alcoholic drinks in a sitting (binge drinking) during the 3-months just
prior to their most recent pregnancy.

A lower percentage in Florida than for 27 PRAMS states: 3.9% of women experienced
physical abuse by their husband or partner during the 12 months preceding their most
recent pregnancy.

Florida is Similar to All 27 PRAMS States (Within 10%):

• 46.5% of women wanted their pregnancy to occur later or not at any time in the future (Unintended Pregnancy).
• 42.5% of women drank alcohol during the 3-months prior to their most recent pregnancy.
• 39.5% of women reported taking some multivitamins during the month prior to the most recent pregnancy (Folic Acid).
• 29.6% of women not trying to be pregnant this pregnancy reported not using anything to keep from getting pregnant (Birth Control)—no data available for all 27 PRAMS states.
• 21.3% of women smoked cigarettes during the 3-months prior to their most recent pregnancy.
• 19.0% of women were obese (BMI = 30) prior to their most recent pregnancy.
• 18.5% of infants were reported to not have been seen by a health care provider within one week of hospital discharge.
• 16.5% of women reported not using anything to keep from getting pregnant (Postpartum Birth Control).
• 11.9% of women experienced a low birth weight (=2,500-g) delivery during their preceding pregnancy.

For more information, contact the Division of Family Health Services,
Florida Department of Health at (850) 245-4100.