ANC Coverage: Role of Health Care Provider

Introduction: Promoting women’s health improves not only individual health but also the health of the family, community and the nation. As per Safe Motherhood Initiative all pregnant women must receive basic but professional antenatal care (ANC). However safe motherhood is still a dream in India as well as in the third world countries. Mothers who had not received good quality ANC were found to be more at risk of having low birth weight babies and there is clear association between infant mortality rate and lack of or poor quality ANC. Aims/ Objectives: To evaluate current statuses of utilization of ANC services and evaluate the role of health care provider in providing appropriate antenatal care services among women living in rural area. Materials& Methods: A community based cross-sectional design was adopted for the study with a total sample of 400 females delivered in last one year. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to draw the required sample size. Data was collected using semi structured, pretested questionnaire which had two sections, the tool was derived from questionnaire used for NFHS 3 survey and was modified according to the need of the study. Results: A total of 313 (78.3%) females took antenatal and only 111 (27.75%) females made 3 or more visits before delivery. Out of total participants who visited doctors, 154 (95%) had basic investigations carried out but trends were dissatisfying for females who visited other health workers. Information regarding warning signs was very low among females who went to Anganwadi workers (12.7%) and TBAs (0%). Similarly participants who visited doctors and ANM consumed maximum iron tablets and had more institutional deliveries. Conclusion: It was observed that quality of ANC given by doctors was significantly better than other health workers.