ANC Care Research Articles

Awareness of ANC and PNC Care among Women of Urban Slum in Pune, Maharashtra, by a Self Made Questionnaire

A study done to understand the level of awareness for antenatal and postnatal care among women of urban slum in Pune.

Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Undernutrition and its Correlates Among Under Five-Year Children in North India.

Undernutrition is an important public health problem affecting one-third of under five-year-old children in India. To assess the nutritional status of under five-year-old children along with child feeding practices. We adopted a systematic sampling procedure to carry out this community-based, cross-sectional study in all the districts of Haryana. Data was collected on socioeconomic and demographic particulars along with anthropometric measurements. Analysis was done using SPSS Windows 23. The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting was 34%, 27.5%, and 11%, while that of severe undernutrition was 11%, 8%, and 3%, respectively. The odds of underweight were significantly higher among children of the Muslim religion, children of scheduled caste, children of illiterate mothers, lower per capita income, HHs without electricity, landless HHs, low birth weight, no ANC care, and those early ages at complementary feeding. Stunting was significantly higher among children whose mothers were illiterate, children whose fathers were laborers, among landless HHs, with no separate kitchen and lower birth weight, while wasting was higher among children of Muslim religion, children of scheduled caste, with no sanitary latrine facility, low-birth-weight children and early initiation of complementary feeding. Undernutrition is observed to be associated with religion, community, education of mother, per capita income, land holding status, birth weight, and age at complementary feeding. Thus, improving maternal nutrition can improve birth weight, improving maternal knowledge about child feeding, and the household's socio-economic status may improve the nutritional status of children.

Inisiasi Program Janji Temu Kader Dengan Ibu Hamil Sebagai Upaya Peningkatan Pemeriksaan Sesuai Jadwal Di Puskesmas Sungai Turak

The health problem of pregnant women is a public health problem that needs major attention because it has an impact on the quality of life and future generations. The risk of pregnancy is very likely to be experienced by a mother and must receive preventive, monitoring and treatment efforts as early as possible so as to contribute to reducing the causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. ANC or antenatal care is care for the mother and fetus during pregnancy. Through ANC, various information and education related to pregnancy and childbirth preparation can be provided to mothers as early as possible. Pregnant women in the Sungai Turak Community Health Center work area have various obstacles in relation to routine ANC checks, for example due to work, time opportunities, and family support in taking them to the Community Health Center. The proposed solution is the initiation of a cadre appointment program with pregnant women, where pregnant women who do not have the opportunity to have their pregnancy checked at the Puskesmas/Posyandu are contacted and make an appointment with cadres, then continue with the implementation of activities. The activities and results of the program implemented are leaflets which are used as outreach materials.

Factors Affecting the Utilization of Antenatal Care Service among Mothers Having Under 2 Years Children

Background: The Antenatal care period is the time between immediately conceptions after to before birth baby. The objective of this research is to find out factor associated with ANC service utilization by mothers.
 Methods: Community based analytical cross sectional study was conducted in Junichande rural municipality, Jajarkot among mother have child under two years of age data is collected through interview method. Descriptive analysis and chi- square test were performed.
 Results: This study shows more than half of the (58.8%) mother had completed ANC. Ethnicity, education level, husband occupation, availability of essential drugs and equipment, satisfaction behavior of health worker and proper physical infrastructure are the factors that influence the ANC care utilization which were found significantly associated with ANC utilization. The main reason for not receiving ANC among mother were lack of awareness.
 Conclusions: This study suggest health care providers and policy maker to make aware mothers on maternal complication to prevent and neonatal mortality and increase ANC utilization.

ASSESSMENT OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION IN A TERTIARY CARE INSTITUTE

Introduction: India is in a state of obstetric transition, where indirect causes of maternal morbidity and mortality are now more common. Depression is one such entity that goes unscreen and untreated, contributing to maternal morbidity. Objective: The study aimed to find the incidence of postpartum depression (PPD) in a tertiary care institute and determine the associated risk factors contributing to PPD. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, from June 1, 2020 to July 31, 2022. All the patients who were in the postpartum period and gave consent were included in the study. They were subjected to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) questionnaire, and their responses were recorded. The same patients were subjected to the same EPDS questionnaire at 6 months, and the score was calculated. A score of more than or equal to 12 was considered statistically significant for depression, and patients were referred to a psychiatrist for further evaluation and management. Results: In total, 102 were enrolled in the study. The incidence of PPD in the study participants was 12.75% at the immediate postparity period and 15.69% at 6 months postpartum. Husband’s unemployment (p<0.05), low family income (p<0.05), unplanned pregnancy (p<0.05), development of antenatal complications (p<0.05), lack of regular ANC care (p<0.05), neonatal death (p<0.05), bad relationship with in-laws (p<0.05), and low self-esteem (p<0.05) were the main contributors to the development of PPD in both immediate postpartum period as well as at 6 months postpartum. Only four patients agreed to visit the psychiatrist, the rest refused the evaluation and treatment. Conclusion: In India, despite the National mental health program 1983, maternal mental health is still not a prominent component of the program which needs to be included. Screening tools should be used to identify and treat women.

An evaluation of the introduction of telehealth for remote antenatal and postnatal contacts in Bangladesh and Lao People's Democratic Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From 2020, COVID-19 spread rapidly around the globe and continues to have a major impact on health system functioning, with a disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Reduced service utilisation and coverage of essential childbirth interventions is likely impacting maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. Telehealth has been identified as an important tool in the continued provision of essential healthcare services. The aim of this study was to explore the experience and impact of implementing telehealth services for the provision of remote antenatal (ANC) and postnatal (PNC) contacts in regions of Bangladesh and Lao People's Democratic Republic through 100 semi-structured interviews with health service leaders and providers, and childbearing women who organised, provided, or were the recipients of ANC and PNC telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic response. The findings showed that a sudden pivot from face-to-face to telehealth services posed both health system and provision of care challenges. Health systems lacked funding to support telehealth and the infrastructure needed for service changes; however, some were able to work with key maternal child health departments within Ministries of Health to find the resources to implement the services. Health providers found telehealth beneficial during the pandemic response but identified a lack of training, guidance, and support as a barrier to changing practice. Childbearing women reported being fearful of accessing care at health services due to COVID-19, and whilst they appreciated the telehealth contacts, many continued to prefer face-to-face delivery of ANC and PNC care. Telehealth, however, was a good alternative in a time when face-to-face care was not possible. Considerations for post-pandemic broader implementation or scale-up of telehealth for routine antenatal and postnatal maternity care provision include the need for further research on issues such as accessibility, acceptability, quality of care, and sustainability of service provision.

Effect of COVID-19 on antenatal care: experiences of medical professionals in the Netherlands

BackgroundCOVID-19 has greatly affected the delivery of all health care services globally. Antenatal care is one area of care that has been impacted, despite the fact that attending antenatal check-ups is essential for pregnant women and cannot be postponed. Little is known about how exactly ANC provision has changed in the Netherlands, or how the changes have impacted midwives and gynaecologists providing those services.MethodsThis study used a qualitative research design to investigate changes in individual and national practice following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved a document analysis of protocols and guidelines for ANC provision to evaluate how those changed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and semi-structured interviews with ANC care providers (i.e., gynaecologists and midwives).ResultsGuidance was issued by multiple organizations, during the pandemic, on how to approach the risk of infection in pregnant women, recommending several changes to ANC to protect both pregnant women and ANC providers. Both midwives and gynaecologists reported changes in their practice. With less face-to-face consultations happening, digital technologies became critical in the care of pregnant women. Shorter and fewer visits were reported, with midwifery practices adjusting their guidelines further than hospitals. Challenges, with high workloads and lack of personal protective equipment were discussed.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has had an immense impact on the health care system. This impact has had both negative and positive effects on the provision of ANC in the Netherlands. It is important to learn from the current COVID-19 pandemic and adapt ANC, as well as health care systems as a whole, to be better prepared for future health crises and ensure continuous provision of good quality care.

KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE STUDY ON ANTENATAL CARE DURING PREGNANCY IN PREGNANT FEMALES OF RURAL AREA OF HINGNA, MAHARASHTRA.

Introduction: Antenatal care is the backbone of mother and child's good health. Pregnant females should be well aware about the components of antenatal care and how it will shape her and her baby's future in the best possible way. Methods: A cross sectional study was done on rural population of Hingna at Shalini tai meghe hospital and Datta Meghe Medical College to study the level of knowledge, attitude and practise of antental care among pregnant females. Total 217 patients were included in the study, they were given predesigned questionnaire. Results: Out of 217 , maximum patients 159(73.27%) were between 19- 30 years of age, maximum number of patients , 101 (46.54%) had taken primary schooling ,more number of patients 118, (54.37%) had per month income between 5000-15000 rupee, 145 females (66.82%) were multigravida and 67 females (30.87%) were primigravida ,29 patients( 19.33%) had previous home delivery, 189,(87.09%) were aware about the need and the importance of visiting hospital during anc period ,176 (81.10%) were knowing the importance of taking iron and folic acid medicines during pregnancy .132 patients (60.82%) and 112 patients (51.61%) were aware about the signicance of measurement of weight/height and blood pressure in pregnancy respectively. 193 patients (88.94%) were willing to have proper anc care. Only (58.06%), 126 patients were willing for some family planning methods and 91 patients (41.93%) denied. 98.61% , 214 were ready to deliver in the hospital. 87.09% knew about the importance of regular anc check up but in practice only 67.74% i.e 147 patients registered before 12 weeks and 44.23% i.e 96 females had minimum 4 anc visits. 93.08% patients knew about the signicance of ultrasonography, but only 74.65% , i.e 162 females had done minimum 3 ultrasonography. While 81.10% had fair attitude regarding intake of folic acid and iron tablets, in reality only 56.68% i.e 123 patients had been taking iron and folic acid regularly. 50.23%, 109 females had planned delivery with use of contraceptives. Conclusion: Though the knowledge was substantial about the antenatal care services among pregnant women, the level of attitude and practise needs to improve. Family support and good level of education is needed to improve the knowledge and adopt good antenatal practices.

The Relationship Between Mileage, Parity, And Occupation With The Frequency Of Antenatal Care Visits According To Standards In The Work Area Of The Wanaya Public Health Center, Lahat Regency In 2021

ANC or antenatal care is services provided by health workers according to the right standard for pregnant women to check their pregnancy condition. The purpose of this research is to know the relationship between mileage, parity, and profession with the frequency of antenatal care visit according to standard in the working area of ​​Wanaraya Public Health Center, Lahat Regency 2021. This research is observational and analytic characterized with cross sectional approach. The population of this research was maternity women in the working area of ​​Wanaraya Public Health Center, Lahat Regency from January to July 2021 with total number was 45 people. The sampling technique where all of the population became sample with total number was 45 people. The statistical test with chi-square result showed that p value of mileage 0.003 (p<0.05), parity 0, 025 (p<0.05), and professions 0.001 (p<0.05). In conclusion , there was a relationship between mileage , parity, and profession with the frequency of antenatal care visite according to standard in Wanaraya Public Health Center, Lahat Regency 2021.

ANALISIS FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI CAKUPAN PROGRAM ANTENATAL CARE BUMIL

ANC or antenatal care is the care of the mother and fetus during pregnancy. Through ANC, various information and education related to pregnancy and preparation for delivery can be given to mothers as early as possible. This type of research is observational with a cross-sectional study design. The study was carried out at the Silih Nara Health Center, Central Aceh Regency in August 2021 from June to August 2021. The population in this study were all mothers who gave birth recorded as many as 65 people and all of them were used as samples (total sampling). The instrument used to collect study data is a developed questionnaire. The statistic test uses univariate, bivariate, and multivariate regression data analysis. The results were obtained: there was an effect on education, knowledge, attitude, family support, affordability of health facilities, and support of health workers while age and occupation had no effect on the coverage of the ANC program. The variable affordability of health facilities has the most dominant influence on the coverage of the ANC program. It is recommended for the puskesmas to increase the visits of pregnant women so that the Silih Nara Health Center further increases the knowledge of pregnant women through counseling about the importance of Antenatal Care.

Factors affecting the utilization of maternal and child health care services in North Gujarat

The present study intended to examine the factors affecting the utilization of maternal health care services in the north Gujarat region of India. The study used Data collected from various hospitals of different districts of North Gujarat. Both bivariate and multivariate techniques have been applied for data analysis. Logistic regression techniques and concentration curve and index have been used. Findings of the study indicate that there were wider socio-economic differential exits in the utilization of MCH services (full ANC, Safe delivery and post-natal care) in all the district under study. The result shows that the farther population from healthcare centre is less likely to utilize maternal and child health care services. The economic inequality in accessing the all three components of maternal health care utilization was higher in the urban area. As the educational level, wealth index, employment, atonomy and exposure to mass media of women increases the utilization of these services increases significantly.

Determinan Perilaku Ibu Hamil dalam Melakukan Pemeriksaan Kehamilan pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19

ANC or antenatal care can be interpreted the service of the mummy and fetus during pregnancy. Through pregnancy check, various advice and education related to gestation and preparation for birth can be given to mothers as early as possible. At this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were some who closed their PMB but 72% were still actively providing services by referring to the health protocols that had been established so as to prevent transmission, especially to pregnant women. This research including an analytical survey research. The population taken at PMB Ny. M Tamansari Village, Mumbulsari District with the amount of 3rd trimester expectant mother who came for a pregnancy checkup in April-July 2021 to the tune of 40 expectant mother, with technique sampling is total sampling. The research results obtained that was used Chi Square analysis represented that P value <0.05 was a significant relationship between the behavior of expectant mother doing ANC with Age, Education, Knowledge, Attitudes, Husband's Support and Health Facilities, the unrelated variable was the mother’s occupation. Present condition does not a barrier of expectant mother from pregnancy check-ups.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices of pregnant women towards antenatal care in Rural health training centre in Achrol, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Background: Pregnancy and child birth are important stages in a woman’s life. During pregnancy, both the mother and their unborn babies face health problems which can lead to complications. Prevention of these complications can be possible only when all pregnancies are monitored by skilled care providers. Methods: In this study, it refers to a pregnant women’s understanding of components of antenatal care which include registration of pregnancy, danger signs during pregnancy etc. Attitudes are emotional, motivational, perceptive and cognitive beliefs that positively or negatively influence the behaviour or practice of an individual. The study was designed as a cross sectional study. Study population were pregnant females attending antenatal clinic in a rural health training centre. Results: A total of 150 pregnant women completed the study maximum are multigravida. The age distribution depicted in current study shows maximum participants are from the age group of 21-24,maximum participants are 10th pass and are not working staying in the joined family of own house. Knowledge of pregnant women about antenatal care are ideally ANC visit was 4-6 times as per participants and minimum was 2 visits as revealed in study results. Practice of pregnant women on ANC care shows minimum participant registered in first trimester. Attitude of pregnant women about ANC showed maximum of pregnant women exhibited positive attitude towards necessary to register ANC check-up and also Institutional delivery and danger sign.Conclusions: The knowledge and awareness regarding importance of ANC is the need of this era it also help to reduce mortality rate. To improve community awareness on ANC community campaign and mass media should use.

FACTORS INFLUENCING ACCESS TO ANTENATAL CARE BY PREGNANT WOMEN IN DEDZA DISTRICT: LESSONS FROM MAGANGA VILLAGE IN TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY TAMBALA’S AREA, MALAWI

Malawi has registered a big number of maternal deaths and newborn or birth complications over the years. This is prevalent in many rural areas and villages across the country. The reason behind these maternal deaths and newborn complications is delayed access to early Antenatal Care visits (ANC). ANC is distinct and special care given to pregnant women to ensure improved health outcomes i.e., to avoid maternal deaths and newborn complications. Chiphwanya Health Centre which is found in Dedza district, the central region of Malawi, is well vested in this task. This research study was, therefore, conducted to assess factors leading to delayed access to ANC care in Maganga Village which surrounds the aforementioned health centre. The study adopted a mixed-method where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed. Quantitative data were collected from pregnant women while qualitative data was collected from guardians and health personnel. The results indicate that 43% of women and 50% of stakeholders considered traditional beliefs as the key contributor to delayed access to ANC. Over 20% of pregnant women and 6.7% of key stakeholders attributed distance as a reason for delayed access to ANC services. It can be concluded that delayed access to ANC portrayed in this area is due to traditional beliefs and distance. Hence, the need for awareness campaigns so that the community is well informed of the importance of ANC and the local leaders should have a touch on issues regarding ANC.

Assessment of Maternal Satisfaction with the Quality of Antenatal Care Rendered by Midwives at A Tertiay Health Institution in the Southeast Nigeria

In this era of economic challenges health care consumers’ desire quality of care that comes with value and satisfaction. This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed maternal satisfaction with the quality of antenatal care rendered by midwives at a tertiary health institution in the Southeast Nigeria. Three objectives guided the researchers in achieving the purpose of the study. Sample of 171 respondents was drawn from a population of 301 pregnant women using Taro Yameni formula for sample size calculation. Validated investigators’ structured questionnaire with reliability index of 0.70 was used for data collection. Data generated from the study were analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS Version 21 IBM. Findings from the study revealed that the pregnant women attending Antenatal clinic at the state tertiary health institution are satisfied with the quality of physical and psychological care rendered by the midwives in the institution. Outstanding in their satisfaction were evidenced in their contentment with blood pressure monitoring (43.4%), weight monitoring (40.9%), directives on family planning (47.4%), reassurance by midwives (40.9%), and confidentiality of privileged information (42.7%). They saw the spacious nature of the ANC care arena as a satisfier too. Greater number of the women (77.8%) believes that they derived their satisfaction of care from the availability of essential drugs and necessary equipment. Finally in order to improve satisfaction with antenatal care, organizational aspects of antenatal care such as reducing waiting times and increasing accessibility to drugs and equipments need to be improved. The researchers recommended that the hospital management should recruit more midwives to reduce the work load on those working at the ANC unit and also provide comfortable environment for the pregnant women attending the ANC.

Understanding the impacts of child marriage on the health and well-being of adolescent girls and young women residing in urban areas in Egypt

BackgroundEgypt has made progress in delaying age at marriage, but child marriage continues to be practiced in many places across the country. This study investigates the impacts of child marriage on the health and wellbeing of girls residing in urban Egypt using a multi-method approach.MethodsThe quantitative component leveraged data from the 2014 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey and focused on (1) reproductive health, (2) maternal health and (3) social outcomes among a subsample of ever-married urban women ages 20–24 (N = 1041). Simple and multivariable logistic regressions were used to estimate prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between child marriage and the three sets of outcomes. The qualitative component drew from 11 focus groups, 23 in-depth interviews, and 13 key informant interviews conducted in three urban sites in Egypt. The data was thematically analyzed using a combination of inductive and deductive coding.ResultsThe prevalence of marriage under age 18 was 13.22%. Child marriage was significantly associated with ever use of contraception (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 2.95 95% CI 1.67–5.19), multiple births (AOR 12.93 95% CI 5.45–30.72), rapid repeat childbirth (AOR 2.20 95% CI 1.34–3.63), and pregnancy termination (AOR 1.89 95% CI 1.11–3.23). Many of these associations disappeared after adjusting for marriage duration. Girls married under age 18 had larger spousal age gaps (AOR 2.06; 95% CI 1.24–3.41) and higher odds of FGM (AOR 2.14; 95% CI 1.11–4.13). They were significantly more likely to report receiving no ANC care (AOR 0.39; 95% CI 0.19–0.80), and less likely to deliver through C-section (AOR: 0.53; 95% CI 0.34–0.83). Consequences emerging from the qualitative data centered around five themes: (1) Access to and use of sexual and reproductive health services; (2) exposure to FGM; (3) marriage and birth registration; (4) marital relations; and (5) relationship with in-laws.ConclusionFindings provide important insights into the practice of child marriage in urban areas in Egypt and illustrate a range of adverse consequences associated with the practice.

The proportion of dropouts from the maternity continuum of care and its predictors among antenatal booked women who gave birth in the last 12 months in Northwest Ethiopian women: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Introductionmaternity continuum of care is the continuity of maternity health care services that a woman uses in antenatal care, skill birth attendant, and postnatal care. This continuum of care in maternal health has become one of the government concerns and programs for planning and evaluating strategies within the currently existing maternal health system of Ethiopia. It is an important intervention in reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, there is no clear information on the proportion of dropouts from the maternity continuum of care in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the proportion and associated factors of dropout from the maternity continuum of care among mothers who gave birth in the last 12 months in Debre Markos town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2018.Methodsa dropout from the maternity continuum of care was considered as a woman who had at least one visit of antenatal care but did not use SBA and postnatal care. A community-based cross-sectional study with a cluster sampling technique was conducted among 605 mothers who gave birth in the last 12 months in Debre Markos town. The data were collected from August 1-30/ 2018 using face-to-face interviews through pretested and semi-structured questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to determine factors associated with dropout from the maternity continuum of care. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Resultsthe percentage of dropping out of the maternity continuum of care was found to be 32.2 % (95%CI: 28.4-36.2). No exposure to media (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.62, CI: 1.47-4.68), women who heard about Postnatal care (AOR= 0.07, 95%CI: 0.04-0.15), unplanned pregnancy (AOR= 3.40, CI: 1.11-10.39), and having<4 Antenatal care follow up (AOR = 3.03, CI: 1.96-4.69) were statistically significant variables with the dropout from the maternity continuum of care.Conclusionin this study, the proportion of dropouts from the maternity continuum of care is found to be high. Interventions aiming to improve retention in ANC care should be given emphasis.

Association between antenatal care utilization pattern and timely initiation of postnatal care checkup: Analysis of 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey.

Despite significant public health intervention, maternal mortality remains high in low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Effective postnatal care is a critical service to reduce maternal mortality. In Ethiopia, only 17% of mothers received postnatal care services in 2016. This study examined the association between antenatal care and timely postnatal care checkup among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia. The study used the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data. The current study included 4,081 women who give birth in the two years preceding the survey. Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between antenatal care and timely initiation of postnatal care. Postnatal care services within 2 days of delivery were received by 16.5% of women. Women who had at least four timely antenatal care visits had higher odds of timely postnatal checkups compared to women who had no antenatal care [adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 2.50; 95% CI 1.42-4.42]. Women who had at least four antennal care visits without timely initiation also had higher odds of postnatal check-up than their counterparts (aOR: 2.46; 95%CI: 1.22-4.97). Other factors significantly associated with timely initiation of PNC were secondary and above education (aOR: 1.64; 95%CI: 1.03-2.60), perceived distance to the nearby health facility as a significant barrier (aOR: 1.55; 95%CI: 1.15-2.09), primiparous (aOR: 0.34; 95%CI: 0.19-0.61) and institutional delivery (aOR: 14.55; 95%CI: 2.21-95.77). The prevalence of timely initiation of postnatal care in Ethiopia is very low. Women who received recommended antenatal care services had higher odds of timely initiation of postnatal care. Thus, strengthening the existing maternal and child health programs to adhere to the recommended ANC care guidelines may improve the timely initiation of postnatal care.

PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE IN SELECTED PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Purpose: This study sought to assess the prevalence of hypertension in pregnancy and associated risk factors among women attending antenatal care clinics in selected Pubic Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The research employed a cross-sectional descriptive study design. Study population was pregnant women who attended ANC care in selected hospital. The respondents were randomly selected from Tikur Anbesa specialized, Zewuditu Memorial and St. Paul’s Millennium medical college hospitals. Respondents for interview were selected using systematic random sampling at an interval of nine until a sample size of 297 was reached. The study used an adopting both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data was collected using structured questionnaires from pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics while qualitative data was collected using key informant interview schedules and Focused Group Discussion guides with Nurses in charge of antenatal care clinics and primary respondents respectively. Key informants and focused group discussants were purposively selected. Descriptive data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 with the aid of Microsoft Excel program to generate frequency tables, graphs and pie-charts. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis and results triangulated with quantitative data as direct quotes or narrations. Inferential statistics were calculated using Chi-Square tests done at 95% confidence interval and a margin of error of 0.05 to establish the association between variables. Information generated were presented in the text in the form of tables, bar graphs and pie charts.&#x0D; Results: The study results revealed that the prevalence of pregnancy induced hypertension in Addis Ababa was 21.9%. Socio-demographic factors such as age (p=0.030), occupation (p=0.031), income (p=0.0014), highest level of education (p=0.001) and health insurance (p=0.001) were significantly associated with occurrence of hypertension in pregnancy. Rreproductive and obstetric factors such as age at first pregnancy (p=0.001), gravidity (p=0.046), parity (p=0.001), history of obesity (p=0.001) and occurrence of gestational diabetes (p=0.002) were significantly associated with hypertension in pregnancy. More than a half (51.9%) of respondents had negative attitude towards hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. The level of attitude (p=0.040) was significantly associated with occurrence of hypertension in pregnancy.&#x0D; Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that the management of the 3 health facilities together with other stakeholders in health empower women to start income generating projects to increase their financial access to antenatal care services consequently reduces hindrances that may lead to pregnancy complications such as hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

Association Between Mass Media Use and Maternal Healthcare Service Utilisation in Malawi

IntroductionUsing data from Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (2015–16), in the present study, we aimed to assess the role of exposure to family planning information through various mass media on the utilization of maternal healthcare services.MethodsThe sample population included 13,217 women aged 15–49 years with a history of at least one childbirth. Outcome measures included essential maternal healthcare services such as early and adequate use of antenatal care, skilled delivery service. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to find the association between maternal healthcare services and exposure to family planning messages by controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsWomen who reported receiving family planning message through internet [odds ratio=1.48, 95% CI=1.15, 1.91], radio [odds ratio=1.15, 95% CI=1.05, 1.26], TV [odds ratio=1.53, 95% CI=1.32, 1.76] and mobile phone [odds ratio=1.23, 95% CI=1.02, 1.48] had higher odds of having timely ANC care. For using adequate number of ANC, the associations were significant for TV [odds ratio=1.41, 1.23, 1.62] and mobile phone [odds ratio=1.20, 95% CI=1.01, 1.43] only. For the use of facility delivery, a strong association was observed for poster [odds ratio=1.43, 95% CI=1.12, 1.82] and TV [odds ratio=2.99, 95% CI=1.78, 5.03]. The odds of using all three services varied noticeably between urban and rural areas, eg, receiving family planning messages through internet increased the odds of antenatal care and facility delivery services in the urban areas only, whereas that from poster was associated only for facility delivery and only in the rural areas.ConclusionThe findings indicate a positive association on media communication regarding family planning on the uptake of maternal healthcare services.