Nurse home visits during pregnancy and early childhood had positive effects on aspects of maternal life course 3 years later
QUESTION: Does a programme of nurse home visits during pregnancy and the first 2 years of the child's life continue to affect the life course of high risk mothers 3 years after the end of the programme?
Design
Randomised {allocation concealed}*, blinded (outcome assessors) controlled trial with follow up at 3 years after the programme ended.
Setting
An obstetrics clinic and county health department in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Patients
743 women (mean age 18 y, 97% black) who were <29 weeks pregnant, had no previous live births, no chronic illnesses that might affect pregnancy outcome, and ⩾2 sociodemographic risk factors (unmarried, <12 y education, or unemployed). Follow up was 87%.
Intervention
228 women received free transportation to prenatal appointments, an average of 7 home visits during pregnancy, 1 postpartum hospital visit, developmental screening for the child at ages 6, 12, and 24 months, and an average of 26 home visits until the child's second birthday (home visit group). Home visits focused on counselling and education about child care, health behaviour, and life planning. 515 women received only free transportation and developmental …
