Achieving effectiveness of antenatal outcomes: A qualitative study in Mutasa district, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Achieving the effectiveness of antenatal outcomes depends on the utilization of antenatal care services. The purpose of the study was to explore the utilization of antenatal care in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe. A qualitative research approach using explorative and descriptive design was utilized. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to sample pregnant women and women whose children were under the age of one year. In-depth interviews were conducted using the Shona language. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis where themes and sub-themes emerged; namely; factors influencing the perceptions of women on antenatal care services uptake. We certify that all applicable institutional and governmental regulations concerning the ethical use of human volunteers were followed during this research. Multiple obstacles to adherence were identified, including a low level of education, low socio-demographic factors such as age, low income, distance traveled to the clinic, high parity, and acceptability of antenatal care by rural women. Awareness should be made by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Care through better education of the target groups such as young mothers, people from low socio-economic groups, and childbearing women for better utilization.