Conference Abstract Compendium Examples from the ... - CityMatCH

2009 CityMatCH Urban MCH Leadership ConferenceMedicaid coverage prior to pregnancy was reported by 76% of the participants, private insurance by11.5%, and 11.5% were uninsured. Ninety-three percent of the women reported Medicaid payment fordelivery.Participants reported 11 chronic illnesses, including lung problems/asthma (20.8%), migraines (16.9%),and obesity/overweight (10.8%). Among women with pre-pregnancy chronic illness, 85.2% had prepregnancyMedicaid, 11.5% had private insurance, and 3.3% were uninsured. Among women withoutchronic illness, 70.8% had pre-pregnancy Medicaid, 9.2% had private insurance, and 20% wereuninsured. The relatively high prevalence of pre-pregnancy Medicaid coverage among all participants islikely due to Illinois’ generous Medicaid policies, including its Illinois Healthy Women program, and/orthe high prevalence of TANF assistance among this group.LIMITATIONSAnalyses were based on self-reported data. As a result, data on absence or presence of chronic conditionsand time of diagnosis may be subject to recall bias. However, women were interviewed soon after theirpregnancies ended, so the effect of this bias is likely minimal.CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONSThe pervasiveness of chronic illness prior to pregnancy among this population underscores thesignificance of pre-pregnancy health insurance for low-income women. In order for women with chronicillness to enter pregnancy healthy and obtain needed preconception/interconception care, pre-pregnancyinsurance is critical.116