Abdul Wahhab M. Jawad
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is an important determinant of maternal and perinatal mortality and ANC attendance is an essential component of maternal health care on which the health of mothers and newborns depend.In Najaf province, the coverage of ANC visits (≥ 4 visits) was 37% in 2017. Objectives: to determine the barriers to antenatal care among women attending Al-Zahra teaching hospital during postnatal perinatal.
Methods: across sectional study was conducted in AL-Zahra hospital between 1st November\2017 and ended on 31 Jan\2018. All women were selected during postnatal period. Basic demographics and epidemiologic data gathered from all women using a structured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were carried out to identify barriers associated with ANC visits.
Results: The total number of women was 203 with the mean (±SD) of age were (25.0 ± 6.0) , Majority of women 135(67%) were at age group 21-34 years, about 77(38%) were primary graduate while 43 (21%) were illiterate ,about 126(62%) of women had incomplete antenatal visits, about 94(47%) attend private clinic and about 102(50%) were partially satisfied with health services while 43(21%) were unsatisfied with health services. Significant risk factors identified during analysis included illiterate women (OR 4.5 95%; CI 2.17-9.33), and residency of family in rural area (OR 2.20 95%; CI 1.20-4.30).
Conclusions and recommendations: In spite of every pregnant woman should have full access to ANC services, still about more than a half of women in this study received little or no ANC especially among illiterate women and women who lived in rural area. Strengthening health education and Provision of ANC services especially in rural areas are recommended