Pregnant women in Italy have access to good health care services. Istat survey on Health Conditions and Use of Health Services estimates that in 2013 2,7 million women had a child in the last 5 years (18.2% were foreign women). 94.3% of mothers had the first medical visit within the third month of pregnancy (the same as in 2000 and 2005), as the national guidelines recommended.
Medicalization during pregnancy is on the rise: 37.6% of women had more than 6 echography exams during pregnancy, while the percentage was 23.8% in 2000 and 28.9% in 2005.
Women awareness of health risks of smoking for the new born was rising: 74.1% of women stated that they quit smoking during pregnancy (63.4% in 2000). 22.3% of mothers reduced the number of smoked cigarettes, and only 3% didn’t change their smoking behavior (6.8% in 2000). Among more educated women the share of those who stopped smoking during pregnancy was even higher (89.2%), while it decreased among less educated women (65.2%).
Italy was the European country with the highest level of Caesarian section rate (36.3%) according to the 2013 hospital discharge records (Sdo), collected by the Health Ministry and confirmed by Istat survey. A sharp variability was registered among Italian regions with higher rates in Southern Italy.
For information
Socio-demographic and environmental statistics directorate
Laura Iannucci
iannucci@istat.it
ph. +39 06 4673.7213
Lisa Francovich
francovi@istat.it
ph. +39 06 4673.7228