Does safe delivery depend on antenatal care in Cameroon

Abstract

BACKGROUNDCameroon had 529 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017. This high maternal mortality rate (MMR) is likely to reduce if the health system identifies earlier the complications related to pregnancy and provides an adequate response. The perinatal period is appropriate to identify some of these complications through antenatal care (ANC). However, little is known about the contribution of the ANC consultation in the improvement of safe delivery. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the effect of ANC on the probability of safe delivery in Cameroon.MATERIALS AND METHODSThe study used a cross-sectional Cameroon Demographic Health Survey (CDHS, 2018). This survey comprised women who gave birth in the 5 years preceding the survey aged 15 to 49 years (N = 6463). Women's ANC compliance was assessed by at least one clinic. Safe delivery was measured as whether the woman gave birth at a health facility or home attended to by a skilled health worker or not. The association between women's ANC and safe delivery was analysed using a probit regression model.RESULTSThe results show that women of favoured regions have a comparative advantage to safe delivery compared to the North and extreme North regions of Cameroon. Among women who did not carry out ANC consultation, 81.24% did not use a Safe delivery mode whereas 79.67% of women who carried out ANC consultation used the Safe delivery mode. Finally, the econometrics estimations indicate a positive and significant effect of ANC consultation on the probability safe of delivery.CONCLUSIONThe study confirms a positive and significant dependence of safe delivery on ANC in Cameroon. The main control variables such as education, income levels, living environment and region of residence are also expected to affect the likelihood of safe delivery.RECOMMENDATIONTo increase safe delivery in Cameroon, public policymakers could put in place policies encouraging ANC consultation among pregnant women. These policies could include, improving maternal education and reducing the distance to health facilities.