Utilisation of antenatal services at comprehensive health center umunya, anambra state: a retrospective study

Type Journal Article - Family Practice Reports
Title Utilisation of antenatal services at comprehensive health center umunya, anambra state: a retrospective study
Author(s)
Volume 2
Issue 1
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2015
Page numbers 2
URL http://www.hoajonline.com/familypractice/2056-5690/2/2
Abstract
Background: Early antenatal booking leads to early detection and management of abnormalities resulting in a reduction in maternal morbidity and mortality rates. The study sought to determine the frequency of antenatal visits, the gestational age at booking and to audit the provision and examine the utilization of antenatal services provided at Comprehensive Health Centre, Umunya.

Methods: A retrospective, cross sectional, descriptive study carried out among women who delivered at comprehensive health center, Umunya from January 2007 to July 2014. A sample size of 323 determined by Vaughan's formula was used. Data was extracted from the patients' records and analysed using SPSS 15. Chi-square tests was used as test of significance at p<0.05.

Results: Mean gestational age at booking was (mean±SD), 22.76±8.151 weeks. Approximately, two thirds of the women (66.3%) attended antenatal clinic ≥4 times. The assessment of antenatal care services at the center showed that height and weight measurements were done in 33.7% and 65.9%, respectively. Blood pressure was recorded in 99.7%, while almost all the women (95.6%) had routine iron and folic acid supplementation prescribed. Intermittent malaria prophylaxis was prescribed in 19.5% of the women. Tetanus toxoid immunization was administered in 80.5% of the women. In the examination of the utilization of the services, heamoglobin assessment was recorded in 82% of the women, urinalysis in 292 (90.4%), HIV screening in 99.4%, Syphilis test in 75.5% and Blood group test in 77.7%.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates suboptimal provision of services especially with height and weight measurements and prescription of malaria intermittent preventive therapy. It also showed suboptimal utilization of laboratory services.

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