Prenatal follow-up of pregnant women varies according to their socio-professional characteristics, nationality, age and family situation. This observation was drawn up by researchers from the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Dress) from a national survey of 2010. “As in 2003, more young women or women of classes underprivileged social groups have insufficient follow-up, ”indicate the authors of the study.
The different stages of prenatal follow-up (declaration of pregnancy, monthly consultations, ultrasounds, preparation for birth) have been analyzed by the experts, and the differences according to the social category of future mothers are striking. Regarding birth preparation sessions, for example, 92% of managers have followed a preparation against 58% of unskilled workers and 40% of women without profession. However, Social Security reimburses eight sessions, particularly recommended during a first childbirth.
Misunderstood screenings
“The recommendations concerning the infectious risks incurred during pregnancy are little known and the examinations concerning screening remain poorly understood by many women, mainly among the most disadvantaged,” warns the Dress. In fact, only a third of women who could not be immune to rubella received recommendations for vaccination after childbirth.
However, disadvantaged women would need particularly thorough follow-up since they present “more risk factors for their health and that of their child, that prenatal follow-up is therefore not sufficient to compensate”, specify the authors of the study. Result: the Dress observed significant differences in prematurity and low birth weight depending on the level of education and the professional situation of the mother.
