Barriers to Obstetric Prenatal Care Among Pregnant Women at Risk for Dual Pathology

Abstract

Purpose Mother mental health and substance misuse (called dual pathology) is a big concern that could interfere with health care during pregnancy, but there is a neglected field regarding barriers to prenatal obstetric care among these women. Methods One hundred sixty-three pregnant women at risk for dual pathology were assessed for levels of attention to scheduled appointments with obstetric service. Results Attending levels negatively correlate with depression (− 0.174, p = 0.034) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (− 0.214, p = 0.011) and alcohol abuse report (− 0.259, p = 0.045). Conclusions Care providers should pay attention to women’s mental health and alcohol abuse to prevent miss-attention.