Maternal characteristics and inadequate prenatal care.

This study examined the effects of traditional risk factors on receipt of inadequate prenatal care when controlling for interactions of multiple factors. Birth certificate data on 11,936 births were obtained from a state birth cohort file. A logistic regression model indicated significant interactions between maternal ethnicity (black vs white), marital status, and education in the prediction of inadequate prenatal care. Examining only main effects and ignoring interactions can produce oversimplified conclusions about individual risk factors.