Quality of Antenatal Care Services in Military Antenatal Health Care Centers-Khartoum State -Sudan

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Quality of antenatal care is an important determinant of safe motherhood. Antenatal care plays an important role in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity by detecting early risk factors in order to have an effective intervention in time. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 358 000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide in 2008.Nearly all of these deaths (99%) occur in the developing countries, due to pregnancy related complications. Sudan is one of the countries with an unacceptable high maternal mortality,216/100 000 live births. The overall aim of the study was to study quality of antenatal care services in military antenatal health care centers. Methods: This study a facility - based descriptive cross - sectional study conducted in Military antenatal health care centers at Khartoum State. The subjects of the study included (pregnant women and health care providers). A proportional to size sampling technique was used to draw the sample size for 385 pregnant women. Also total coverage technique was used for interviewing 60 health care providers employed in the military centers. Data was analyzed using summary sheet for facilities. While qualitative data was analyzed by SPSS version 17. Results : The study has explored that there was poor level of knowledge and skills among health care providers ( 83.3 %) of them did not hear about the quality of ANC. Moreover about (71.7%) of them had poor knowledge about physical examination. In addition (66.7%) of them had poor skills during measuring blood pressure.Also the pregnant women were dissatisfied regarding ANC services provided. In addition there was alack of facilities for providing ANC services. Conclusion : The study revealed that level of knowledge and skills the health care providers was poor. Also the pregnant women were dissatisfied regarding ANC services provided to them. In addition to lack of facilities for providing ANC services. Providers in services training and upgrading center facilities were needed.