Assessing the effect of prenatal care on birth outcome in Taiwan

The purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of prenatal care on birth outcome, based on the case of Taiwan. The determinants affecting a woman's pregnancy resolution, infant birth outcome, and demand for prenatal care are also estimated. The study makes use of a national survey on the knowledge of, attitude toward, and practice of family planning and reproductive health among married women in Taiwan that was conducted in 1998. The results show that prenatal care has a significant and positive effect on birth outcome. In addition, number of previous children born and not smoking were found to be positively correlated with a better birth outcome. The estimation results also showed that those women with a lower number of previous induced abortions, living in areas with more number of hospitals per thousand persons and with a higher local female unemployment rate were more likely to give birth. Meanwhile, greater fertility, living in a non-metropolitan area, and a higher local female unemployment rate were found to be negatively associated with the use of prenatal care.