Perception of technical quality of maternal care in selected urban health centers in Tabriz - 2019

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aim: Improving the health of a pregnant mother is one of the main pillars of health care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of prenatal care in selected urban health centers in Tabriz in 2019. Methods: The present study is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in 1398.The study population included pregnant women referred to Azadi, Bani Shafi, Hokm abad and Yaghchian urban health centers in Tabriz. The sampling method in this study was cluster random and then systematic (systematic). The sample size is 384 persons and the data collection tool is a standard questionnaire whose validity and reliability have been studied previously. The questionnaire was completed both by pregnant women referring to health centers and by a researcher. The collected data were entered in SPSS software and the results were reported using mean and standard deviation. Results: The findings of the study showed that in clinical examinations, the highest compliance with standards was related to physician visit and weight and blood pressure measurement (47.5%, 80%, 80%, respectively). Gynecological examination and edema and varicose veins were also not performed in most cases (71.4%, 66.2%). In the field of prenatal care education, the highest rate of compliance with the standard was related to the training of pregnancy risk symptoms (59.7%). The findings also show that 34% less than standard oral health education. In the third part of the study concerning the administration of medication supplements, the results show that unbalanced administration. In paraclinical services, the highest imbalance in the number of ultrasound was observed in 42.6% of cases and in 30.9% it was exceeded the standard. The mean quality score was 3.65 (52.1%). Conclusion: In the present study, the quality of service from the viewpoint of pregnant mothers is relatively low. Therefore, there is a good opportunity to improve the quality of services, especially in the prescribing and distribution of nutritional supplements and paraclinical services. Based on the findings of this study, clinical services provided by centers need intervention to improve. Prenatal education should not only serve all recipients but also the number of times it should be in compliance with the standards. Proper administration and distribution of dietary supplements, as in the case above, should be taken into account in order for everyone to benefit from these services appropriately. Concerning paraclinical services, measures should be taken to improve referral times as needed.