Exploring psychosocial vulnerability among Dutch pregnant women: a register study

Figures & data

Figure 1. Rotterdam definition of vulnerability (van der Meer et al. [10]).

Table 1. Characteristics of the study populations.

Characteristics	Measurement A Groningen N = 500 N (%)	Measurement B South-Limburg N = 538 N (%)	Measurement C South-Limburg N = 375 N (%)	National Dutch population 2019a
Age
<20	12 (2.4)	8 (1.5)	4 (1.1)	1 %
20–23	21 (4.2)	25 (4.6)	30 (8.0)	NA^b
>23	467 (93.4)	505 (93.8)	341 (90.9)	NA
Parity:
nulliparous	259 (51.8)	256 (47.6)	186 (49.6)	45%
multiparous	241 (48.2)	282 (52.4)	189 (50.4)	55%
Maternity care at birth:
midwife-led care	138 (27.6)	194 (36.0)	104 (27.7)	27.3%
referred to obstetrician-led  care	362 (72.4)	343 (63.8)	265 (70.7)	72.7%
missing value	0	1 (0.2)	6 (1.6)

^a Perined, Perinatal care in the Netherlands anno 2019: national perinatal figures and interpretation, Utrecht 2020 (www.perined.nl).

^bNA: not available.

Table 2. Urgent vulnerabilities.

Urgent vulnerabilities	Measurement A Groningen N = 48 of 500 (9.6%) N*	Measurement B South-Limburg N = 58 of 500 (10.8%) N*	Measurement C South-Limburg N = 45 of 375 (12%) N*
Psychological and psychiatric problems in this pregnancy	30	38	32
Domestic violence	6	14	7
Involvement Safe Home in history**	2	7	1
Involvement Child Protection Council in history	5	7	4
Intellectual disability	15	5	6
Addiction problems (alcohol, drugs)	1	2	5
Homeless	0	2	0

* Adds up to > than N because some women have > 1 urgent vulnerability.

** Safe Home is the Dutch national organization for advice, support and reporting of domestic violence and child abuse.

Table 3. Non-urgent vulnerabilities among women in a vulnerable situation.

Non-urgent vulnerabilities	Measurement A Groningen N = 255 of 500 (51%) N*	Measurement B South-Limburg N = 265 of 500 (49.2%) N*	Measurement C South-Limburg N = 227 of 375 (60.5%) N*
Psychological problems in history**	207	196	182
Psychosocial problems partner	114	120	86
Unhealthy lifestyle	45	65	47
Financial problems	46	56	48
Women do not speak Dutch or English/German	19	47	18
Relationship problems	26	35	19
Teenage pregnancy	33	33	34
Single mother	30	29	15
Unhealthy/ unsafe living environment	33	19	25
Unplanned and unwanted pregnancy	4	11	0
Low educational level	33	5	39
Suboptimal use of care	–	–	10
Composite family problems	–	–	17

* Adds up to > than N because some women have > 1 vulnerability.

** Including nonconsensual sexual experience, domestic violence in childhood.

Table 4. Prevalence of (complex) vulnerability.

*No reporting of protective factors means no distinction between women living in a potentially vulnerable and a vulnerable situation.

Bold and italic figures (18.8, 19.5 and 23.2) is to distinguish these figures from the other results. This distinction in the table supports the text under "prevalence of vulnerability".

van der Meer L, Ernst H, Blanchette L, et al. What exactly is a vulnerable pregnant woman? Med Contact. 2020;22:34–36.

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Data availability statement

Raw data were generated at Zuyd university of applied sciences. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (DD) on request.