Antenatal care among rural women in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Reproductive health is a fundamental component of an individual’s overall health status and a central determinant of quality of life. Health workers are also expected to educate women about reproductive health problems. Reproductive health changes impact human society globally, and therefore, this paper analyses about antenatal check-ups, medicines & nutritional supplements, visits to the doctor for antenatal check-ups. The study selected the lowest child sex ratio mandals from three North Coastal Districts of Andhra Pradesh, majority of the women respondents belongs to backward classes (67.1%) followed by forward caste (17.4%), scheduled caste (12.2%) and scheduled tribe (3.3%) in the study area. About 32 percent of women respondent are illiterate and majority of them in age group of below 3o years. It is observed that the women who go to health centres for antenatal check-up, a whopping 87.3 percent of pregnant women take the health services from qualified doctors. Only 12.7 percent of the pregnant women took health advices from the Nurses or ANM. The distribution of the health centres that the pregnant women choose for their antenatal check-up shows that most prefer the private hospitals. Almost all women respondents have received medicines and nutrition supplements during pregnancy. Across sample, 18.2 percent visited the doctor for the first time during their four months of pregnancy, 6.9 percent during the first two months and remaining 3.6 percent after the four months of the pregnancy. This shows majority of the women consulted the medical people on time to avoid any forms of difficulties during pregnancy. It is observed that 2/3rd of the women respondents have visited doctor third month after pregnancy. The study suggests that health must be treated as a human right and health care delivery system should be more effective, safe, accessible and affordable.