[Determinants of participation among primiparous women in a prenatal education program].

OBJECTIVES To determine the factors associated with participation in a prenatal education program among primiparous mothers. METHODS A multicenter observational study was carried out in four Andalusian hospitals (Spain) in primiparous women in 2010. Sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, and previous diseases were collected through an interview and from the clinical charts. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated. RESULTS The study population consisted of 520 women. According to multivariate analysis, the factors associated with participation in the program were educational level (p <0.001), higher income levels (p <0.001), birth in Spain (p <0.001) and viewing the program as useful (p <0.001). After adjusting for these variables, no other variable was related to participation. The main reason given by women for not attending prenatal education was lack of an invitation to attend. CONCLUSIONS Participation in the prenatal education program was favored by a higher educational level and income, birth in Spain, and viewing the program as useful.