Lc. Meyer et al., SYMPTOMS AND HEALTH-PROBLEMS IN PREGNANCY - THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH SOCIAL-FACTORS, SMOKING, ALCOHOL, CAFFEINE AND ATTITUDE TO PREGNANCY, Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology, 8(2), 1994, pp. 145-155
This paper describes the prevalence and correlates of symptoms and hea
lth problems in pregnancy using data from a prospective population stu
dy in London. Data on the prevalence of 11 symptoms and 12 health prob
lems were obtained at three points in pregnancy from a consecutive sam
ple of 1513 white women. Relationships were examined between these sym
ptoms and a range of psychosocial factors including social class, educ
ation, marital status, income, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, attitude to
pregnancy and whether the pregnancy was planned. Most women reported
nausea and breast tenderness in early pregnancy. Heartburn, backache,
constipation and headaches were also common. The prevalence of symptom
s tended to increase with gestation except for nausea and vomiting. Wo
men with manual occupations, minimum education, low income, single mar
ital status and unplanned pregnancy reported more of most symptoms exc
ept nausea which was associated with higher social status. A negative
attitude to pregnancy was associated with more headaches but was unrel
ated to nausea. Women who smoked reported more 'nerves and depression'
but less nausea. In general, nausea and vomiting showed a different p
attern of associations from all other symptoms.