Nurse home visits during pregnancy and early childhood improved maternal life course 7 years later
D L Olds
Dr D L Olds, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, USA; olds.david@tchden.org
QUESTION
Do nurse home visits (NHVs) during pregnancy and early childhood affect maternal fertility and child functioning 7 years later?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded (outcome assessors).
Follow-up period:
9 years (7 y after intervention ended).
Setting:
obstetric clinic in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Patients:
743 women (64% age <18 y, 92% black) who were <29 weeks pregnant, had no previous live births, no chronic illness that might affect pregnancy outcome, and ⩾2 sociodemographic risk factors (unmarried, <12 y education, or unemployed).
Intervention:
228 women were allocated to free transportation to prenatal appointments; a mean of 7 NHVs during pregnancy; 1 postpartum hospital visit; child developmental screening at …
