Women’s Satisfaction with the Quality of Antenatal Care Services Being Offered in Bamenda Health District

Abstract

<i>Background:</i> Antenatal care is the care women receive while pregnant. It is an important health service which detects and sometimes curbs the risk of complications among pregnant women (PW). The way women perceive the quality-of-care render during ANC influences utilization and consequently the outcome of pregnancy. This study investigated women’s satisfaction with the quality of antenatal care in the BHD. Women presenting for antenatal care for their second or subsequent visits at 14 health facilities in the Bamenda health district were interviewed in a cross-sectional designed study, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and obstetric variables, and level of satisfaction with various aspects of antenatal care. Data analysis was done using EPI info. The p-value was set at P<0.05. 396 women participated in the study. 70% of the women were between 20 and 30yrs of age. 81.8% of them were married while. 49.2% had secondary education, 49.7% were self- employed while 10.4% were unemployed. Parity mean of 1.55 ± 1.357. 73.2% began ANC after the first trimester of pregnancy, mean number of ANC visits was 3.82 ±1.721. 84.6% of women were satisfied with elements of quality ANC services, 81.3% with the health education they received and only 41.0% were satisfied interventions for physiological problems of pregnancy. Women who attended faith-based health facilities (FBHF) were more satisfied with elements of quality ANC than those who attended public health facilities the reverse was true for health education messages received where women were more satisfied with public health facilities. There was no significant difference in the interventions during pregnancy for both faith-based and public health facilities (PHF). We concluded that apart from the physiological interventions during pregnancy, women were satisfied with the ANC services they receive in the BHD although there were gaps to be filled to improve on the quality of ANC. The use of antenatal care guidelines was recommended to enable a comprehensive delivery of antenatal care for an optimum satisfaction.