Explain three reasons why women delay or avoid seeking prenatal care.

A common reason women delay or avoid seeking prenatal care is the lack of health insurance. Although government-sponsored health care is available for the poorest mothers, many low-income mothers do not qualify for care, or lack information on how to take advantage of care that may be available. Other barriers to seeking prenatal care include difficulty in finding a doctor, lack of transportation, demands of caring for young children, ambivalence about the pregnancy, depression, lack of education about the importance of prenatal care, lack of social support, and poor prior experiences in the health care system, and family crises.