NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES (NIJSES)

Volume 3 Issue 3 2023

Attendance and Knowledge Level of Antenatal Care Services by Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Services in Mubende Regional Referral Hospital Mubende District

Abdirahman Odowa Dore

Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry Kampala International University Western Campus Uganda.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at determining the attendance and knowledge level of antenatal care services of pregnant women attending antenatal care services in Mubende Regional Referral Hospital in Mubende town council, Mubende district. To determine the level of utilization of antenatal care services in Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Mubende Town Council, Mubende district, to determine individual knowledge on antenatal care services and to determine health facility related factors influencing utilization of antenatal services in Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Mubende Town Council, Mubende district. A cross-sectional study was conducted whereby quantitative data was acquired using participant self-administered questionnaires, investigator administered questionnaires. A total of 100 females in reproductive age from the age of 15years to 45 years was sampled using the convenience sampling technique. Results are depicted in 95% Confidence Intervals (C.I), Odd Ratios (OR), P-values; all calculated using Binary Logistic Regression with Pearson’s correlation in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26. Graphical representation was done by Microsoft Excel Software. A total of 100 females in reproductive age from the age of 15years to 45 years were studied with the response rate of 100%. The results based on the 100 respondents showed that about 9(9.0%) were of ages 15-20, 26(26.0%) were of ages 21-25, 37(37.0%) were of ages 26-30, 24(24.0%) were 31-35 and 4(4.0%) were >40. The mean age of study population was 21 years (with a standard deviation of 5.06 years). The incidence of non-attendance of ANC by females in reproductive age is influenced by factors including health service seeking behavior, level of education, and occupation. Intensive health education and awareness campaigns on the importance of ANC attendance to expectant mothers should be done to equip mothers with tactical knowledge thus this will reduce delivery and labour-related maternal mortality. ANC health education services should be integrated at health facilities for all females of reproductive age and expectant mothers.

Keywords: Utilization of antenatal care services, pregnant women, Health facility, Females of reproductive age, ANC health education services.

INTRODUCTION

Antenatal care plays a great role in ensuring a healthy mother and baby during pregnancy and after delivery. Antenatal care involves a planned program of medical management of mothers from the time of conception till delivery directed towards a health outcome for the mother and the baby [1]. Again in 2015, the world health organization defined antenatal care as preventive health care with the goal of providing regular checkups that minimize pregnancy-related complications [2]. ANC services are those services given to women of childbearing age that is 15-49 years during pregnancy, labour and puerperium [3], these services lead to a healthy pregnancy, delivery of a normal baby, preparing the mother psychologically for her labour and also after her delivery given nutritional guide. [4]. The world health organization estimates that nearly 70% of pregnant women have at least one antenatal care visit, and the majority of women presenting for any antenatal have at least four visits. All age groups show similar rates of four or more visits although statistics change with the level of education with the results showing rural and uneducated women are least likely to receive antenatal care. [5]. Women reporting at least four visits are on average 3:3 times more likely than other women to give birth with a skilled provider. [6].

The standard recommended number of ANC visits is four as a minimum which is at 16 weeks, between 24-28 weeks, at 32 and at 36 weeks of pregnancy, but the number of times a client can be seen may vary depending on her condition. Women who may develop complications like hypertension may be recommended for frequent visits [6]. Good antenatal services help prevent factors associated with newborn mortality like low birth weight, and complications from infectious diseases through the elimination of mother-to-child transmission male partner involvement in maternal health also affects the newborn infant [7]. Low birth weight is a reflection of maternal ill health and nutritional status during pregnancy, which results in significant neonatal morbidity for example 95% of all low birth weight deliveries occurring in low-income countries all attributed to low utilization of antenatal care services [7]. Antenatal care involves integrated system by health care providers that depends on the level of the health facilities. Providers of antenatal care include obstetricians, general practitioners like nurses counsellors laboratory personnel and generally midwives provided in health centres majorly III’s to referral hospitals by different key players that were specialists as obstetricians to lower cadres such as midwives [8]. In antenatal clinics, a number services are offered like Voluntary testing and counselling, Health education on HIV/AIDS and other STIs, Physical examination, Laboratory investigations, Developing a delivery care plan for every mother who visits the antenatal clinic, Management of complains, referring high-risk mothers and those with complications, Immunization against tetanus, Screening and risk assessment and Height, Weight and blood pressure assessment [9].  Several factors affect the utilization of ANC for instance Laveist, and McDonald 2012 found that factors such as maternal education, maternal employment, age, poverty, and access to the media are influencing the utilization of antenatal care services. Furthermore, the differences in economic status amongst prospective mothers significantly explain the differences in accessibility and utilization of antenatal care services in developing countries unlike developed countries still to that, travel time to the health facility was an important factor explaining consistent utilization of antenatal care service in the developing countries [10]. Globally, an estimated 211 million pregnancies and 136 million births occur every year. While they are natural and usual processes, pregnancy and childbirth put every woman at risk of complications. Most maternal, fetal and neonatal deaths occur during late pregnancy and the first month of the child’s life. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among women of reproductive age in developing countries this is attributed to low utilization of antenatal care services [11].

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CITE AS:Abdirahman Odowa Dore (2023). Attendance and Knowledge Level of Antenatal Care Services by Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Services in Mubende Regional Referral Hospital Mubende District. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES (NIJSES)3(3):30-40.

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