The Survey of the Quality of Prenatal Care in Ahar Medical Health Centers, 1998.

Abstract

Abstracts: Introduction: Delivery is an unpleasant event for Majority of 150 million pregnant women annually. Because it inducts hardship, pain, Fear, suffering and even death. At least one of the every three cases accompanies by problems like bleeding infection and hypertension. About 50% of them require specific treatment. These complications are the result of insufficient prenatal care. About 585000 pregnant women die in the related to pregnancy and its complications every year. According to world Health organization’s reports in 1995, in spite of coverage of Health care services, there are areas in the world that maternal and infant mortality rate is very high. Since Iran is successful in developing Health Centers, vast Immunization covering, decreasing the rate of population growth, the rate of death and supplying safe water for people, now it is time to pay attention to the quality of Health services specially the needs of High risk groups in the community for example mothers, children and infants. With respect to above reason and world health organization’s slogan (safe motherhood). The survey of the quality of prenatal care in Ahar was essential. Method & Materials: This is a descriptive study. The tool of data collection was observation and interview. The data was collected via interview of Health workers, observation of the cares which delivered to pregnant mothers and studying the mother’s health record. The findings were obtained with SPSS software and descriptive statistical method (x^2 and Fisher). Results: The findings showed that the quality of prenatal care in (68.8%) of cases was moderate, in (21.3%) of cases was poor, in (9.5%) of cases was good and in (0.4%) of cases was not acceptable. Findings about quality of admission in (62.5%) of cases was moderate, quality of physical examination in (72.1%) of cases was poor, quality of action taken in (52.1%) of cases was moderate, quality of education in (38.3%) of cases was moderate and in (29.2%) of cases was poor, quality of following up in (47.9%) of cases was good in (32.5%) of cases was moderate. Also the findings showed that there were meaningful relations between personal-social characteristics with the quality of physical examination and education. It has been cleared that there were significant relationship between years of employment and quality of action taken, between marital status and quality of following up, between age, years of employment, Job title and quality of prenatal care. Discussion: The findings showed that the quality of prenatal care in (68.8%) of cases was moderate. Health care workers have an important role in improvement of the quality of prenatal care. The findings of the research have an important role in the planning of health and Medical Authorities of IRAN in the regards of improvement of quality of prenatal care via providing training, in-service education and evaluation of Health workers in the period of employment.