Assessment of antenatal care services in a rural training health center in Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract:  A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the activites of antenatal care (ANC) clinics at a training health centre in Northwest Ethiopia. The records of 364 women who attended ANC at Debark Health Center between September 1995 and November 1996 were reviewed. Data were collected on socio-demographic variables and different risk factors of pregnancy.  Only one mother began attendance in the first trimester. The mean frequency of visits was 3 ± 2.3.  The weights heights, and blood pressures of 27, 11, and six women, respectively, were not recorded. No hematocrit and serologic investigations (VDRL) were done. One hundred thirty (34.7%) of the ANC attenders had one or more high risk factors out of which only 101(77.9%) were identified as high risk mothers.  According to the records 17 (16.8%) high risk mothers were appointed earlier than the " normal" dates. No other special measures were recorded for pregnant women identified as high risk. Only 9(8.9%) high risk pregnant women delivered at the health center. Given the current controversies on the effectiveness of ANC in developing countries in general and risk screening in particular, existing ANC clinics need to be improved to effectively screen women with high risk factors and deal with them appropriately. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2000 ; 14(2) : 155-160]