[Analysis of the attraction of an obstetrical service. Analysis of preferences according to geographic distance, sociocultural level and previous medical experiences].

This study analyses selected characteristics of 13,676 women, all single pregnancies, attending the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaeocology of the A. Béclère Maternity Hospital in Clamart (in the greater Paris region of France). The characteristics analysed for each women were: sociocultural level, occupation, place of residence (i.e. distance from the hospital), frequency and time of prenatal visits, and selected aspects of obstetric history (treatment for infertility, previous preterm birth, perinatal mortality). A comparison was made between the patients living near the institution and the patients living far from the hospital; this revealed four separate groups: Women living near by the hospital followed-up early by the department, and whose social class distribution is similar to that of the parisian population as a whole. Women living near the hospital, followed-up late or not at all by the department, most have a low sociocultural level, and are referred to the hospital by local homes for single mothers. Women living far from the hospital, followed-up early and often having a high socio-cultural level. In this group, a higher level of information about pregnancy, obstetrics, and medical services are observed. However this group also shows a high frequency of previous obstetric incidents: previous contact with a medical institution appears to be an important factor in the choice made by these women, independent of their sociocultural level. Women living far from the hospital and followed-up late by the department. These patients have a high sociocultural level, and show a high frequency of previous obstetric incidents: they tend to present as emergencies requiring the department's technical services.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)