Abstract
Objective. A pilot study to compare the rates of antenatal healthcare use in Birmingham, UK and Pretoria, South Africa, and identify differences in knowledge and perception of antenatal healthcare. Subjects. 62 women, 31 at each location <24 hours after delivery. Results. Women from Birmingham use healthcare services earlier (P ≤ .0001) and more often during pregnancy (P ≤ .0001). Women from Birmingham identified more conditions that may affect pregnancy (median 6 versus 3 reasons) and were less aware of HIV. In addition they perceived antenatal healthcare as relatively more important for advice and reassurance about pregnancy, whilst women from Pretoria had more problems with transport and clinic overcrowding. Conclusions. Increasing education on the importance of antenatal healthcare and medical problems during pregnancy may help improve antenatal healthcare use in Pretoria. Improving transport links and overcrowding in clinics in Pretoria may also help increase use. Measuring maternal outcomes and confirming these findings in a larger population are important for future studies.
Highlights
Antenatal care is believed to have a positive impact on pregnancy outcomes, either through early diagnosis and intervention for complications, or by contributing to the elimination and reduction of modifiable maternal risk factors
Thirty-six patients from Pretoria and thirty-four patients from Birmingham were approached for interview of which and five and three declined, respectively
Highest education received woman declining interview. Of those interviewed in Pretoria 100% were black South Africans
Summary
Antenatal care is believed to have a positive impact on pregnancy outcomes, either through early diagnosis and intervention for complications, or by contributing to the elimination and reduction of modifiable maternal risk factors. The recommended antenatal care programme in less developed countries is often the same as the programmes used in developed countries [1]. Across the world there is wide variation in the proportion of women who receive antenatal care. Women differ in the access they have to antenatal healthcare, the perceived need for it, and the use they make of it [2]. Most women in the United Kingdom (UK) are aware that there are many health risks to themselves and the unborn child, and that there are many tests that may detect these abnormalities.
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