Sociodemographic, clinical and psychological variables in pregnant women with genetic risk

Abstract

Background: the infant maternal health is a priority in Cuban Health System. Multiple factors have been related as influences in the successful or not successful formation of the future baby, with additional attention in pregnant women with genetic risk.Objective: to characterize sociodemographic, clinical and psychological variables in pregnant women with genetic risk who go to the provincial department of medical genetics from Las Tunas.Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 100 pregnant women selected by simple random sampling, assisted in the aforementioned genetic department. We applied a semi-structured questionnaire for analysis variables, whose results were treated according to the descriptive statistics.Results: the average age of the pregnant women was 30 years; predominantly white skin color (79 %), urban origin (77 %), pre-university study level (42 %) and working occupation (51 %). In the exploration of toxic habits, nonsmokers prevail (76 %), they declare the ingestion of alcohol (66 %) and 54 % usually ingest coffee; bronchial asthma is the most reported chronic pathology. Related to nutrition: 80 % consume milk, 79 % vegetables and 93 % meat regularly; 85 % did not receive folic acid prior to pregnancy. From their perception, 85 % said they had an adequate state of health.Conclusions: the pregnant women were characterized according to the selected variables, with emphasis on the low declaration of toxic habits and deficient consumption of folic acid prior to pregnancy.

Keywords

• pregnant women
• genetics
• prenatal diagnosis
• impacts on health
• prenatal nutrition.