Epidemiological, Educational, and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Pregnancy Planning in a Public Maternity Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study in Curitiba

This study was based on the hypothesis that pregnancy planning status is associated with sociodemographic, educational, and reproductive factors among women receiving care in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). We hypothesized that unplanned pregnancies would be more frequent among younger women, those with lower educational and socioeconomic levels, limited access to formal sexual education, reduced contraceptive use, and lower social support, while planned pregnancies would be associated with greater social stability and reproductive autonomy.

To investigate this hypothesis, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 260 pregnant women attending a public maternity hospital in Curitiba, Brazil, between May 2024 and August 2025. Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire administered via Google Forms. The instrument included the Brazilian validated version of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) and additional questions addressing sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive and contraceptive history, sexual education, and partner support. Based on LMUP scores, pregnancies were classified as unplanned, ambivalent, or planned.

The data show that most pregnancies were classified as ambivalent (57.7%), followed by planned (28.8%) and unplanned (13.5%). Unplanned pregnancy was significantly associated with younger maternal age, absence of a stable partner, lower educational attainment, higher household density, and lack of prior contraceptive use. Women in this group also reported lower exposure to formal sexual education—particularly in school—and greater reliance on informal sources such as friends. Additionally, unplanned pregnancies were marked by substantially lower support from the baby’s father.

Ambivalent pregnancies presented an intermediate profile, characterized by women in early adulthood, moderate socioeconomic conditions, higher prior contraceptive use, and greater exposure to sexual education through schools and healthcare professionals. Planned pregnancies were more frequent among older women, those in stable marital relationships, formally employed, living in less crowded households, with greater familiarity and prior use of contraceptive methods, and near-universal partner support.

Overall, the findings support the study hypothesis and indicate that pregnancy planning exists along a continuum rather than as a binary outcome. The data highlight the role of social vulnerability, access to education, and reproductive health services in shaping pregnancy intention. These results can be used to guide public health policies aimed at improving sexual education, expanding contraceptive counseling, and strengthening family planning strategies within the SUS, particularly for socially vulnerable populations.