Utilization of Antenatal Care by Pregnant Women Residing in the Kakati Sub Center - A Cross Sectional Center

Ante natal care is the care of women during pregnancy. Aim is to achieve at the end of pregnancy a healthy mother and healthy baby1. "Pregnancy is special, let's keep it safe" was the theme for World Health Day in 1998. Pregnancy is physiological process but it is associated with certain risks to the health and life of both the mother and baby. Hence special attention and care should be taken for every pregnancy to make it safe2. Purpose of antenatal care is to identify "high risk" cases and arrange for them skilled care and provide appropriate care for all mothers. Hence the present study was undertaken in a sub centre to assess the quality of antenatal care received and the utilization of health care services by pregnant women.

Research question: What is the pattern of utilization of antenatal care by pregnant women residing in rural area?

Objectives: To know about utilization of antenatal care by pregnant women. To know the quality of antenatal care received by them.

Study design: Cross sectional study.

Study period: March to December 2009.

Study area: Kakati sub centre of Vantamuri PHC.

Materials and method: Universal sample i.e. all pregnant women belonging to Kakati sub centre. We could contact about 150 pregnant women during the study period. The data was collected by using predesigned and pretested questionnaire after obtaining informed consent from the pregnant women.

Statistical Analysis: Percentage and chi square test.

Results: In the present study, registration of pregnant women was 96.6%. More than 50% of pregnant women were in the age group 21-25 years. 61% had completed secondary education. 48.4% of pregnant women in their 2nd trimester had received 30-60 tablets of IFA. More than 50% had completed either 2 doses or booster dose of inj.T.T. But still 29.6% had not received single dose of T.T. The association between gravidity and quality of antenatal care was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). No association was found between quality of antenatal care and type of family, religion, education status of pregnant women and their husbands and socio economic status.

Conclusion: Our study concludes that overall average quality of ANC care was good. But small group of pregnant women did not received average quality of ANC. Home visits were not provided by the female health worker and the frequency of health visits to the sub centre area was very less.