Continuity of Care Between Obstetrical and Pediatric Preventive Care: Indicators of Nonattendance at the First Well-Child Appointment

Abstract

This study evaluates appointment behavior for first well-child visits for first-born children and identifies factors that target infants at increased likelihood for missing their first pediatric appointment. Timely appointments were not scheduled for 10.3% of newborns; 20.1% of those scheduling did not keep the first appointment. Younger, less educated mothers who did not remember when they had learned about well-baby care, and mothers of infants in the newborn intensive care unit were unlikely to schedule the appointment; young mothers learning about well care from friends or relatives and who chose a pediatrician without a previous prenatal visit were more likely to miss the child's first appointment. Prenatal pediatric visits as well as prenatal classes and written materials may improve compliance with the first well-child appointment.