Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction: Antenatal care is the maintenance of healthy pregnancy outcomes
through accurate and consistent implementation of principles. The World Health
Organization (WHO) recommends at least four antenatal care visits for all pregnant
women. Focused antenatal care (FANC) recommends four ANC visits for women
with uncomplicated pregnancies. The four-visit emphasizes on quality of care and
package of services. But the previous studies were on factors of ANC utilization, but
this study is aimed on improving focused antenatal care utilization among those
attending ANC.
Objective: This study aimed at improving focused antenatal care services utilization
among pregnant women who visit ANC service at Tegede district Public health
facilities, Central Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia from January 1 to June 30, 2022.
Method: A pre-post interventional study was carried out from January 1 to June 30,
2022. A total of 468 participants were selected using systematic random sampling in
all selected Public health facilities. The independent t-test was used for comparing
pre- and post-intervention. Indicators at p-value <0.05 % with a 95% confidence (CI)
reported as significant.
For qualitative component; a purposive sampling technique was used to select six
interviewers and thematic analysis was done.
Results: A total of 466 participants were included in the study with a response rate
of 99.6%. The proportion of focused antenatal care utilization in pre and post
intervention was (37.37% with95%CI=30.20%, 45.00%) and (79.00% with
95%CI=70.40%, 87.59%), respectively and increased from pre intervention by
41.63% (mean difference of 0.42 with 95% CI (0.22, 0.62). Antenatal care visit rate
has a highest change with 59.00% (mean difference: 0.59, 95%CI= 0.59, 0.60) and
gestational age calculation has a lowest change with 3.56% (mean difference: 0.35,
0.040, 0.029).
Conclusion and Recommendation: Overall focused antenatal care utilization was
increased with mean different was 41.60% and its indicators gestational age
measure, syphilis screening, tetanus toxoid Vaccine, iron provided, mid upper arm
circumference, HIV test and visit rate had a significance change from preintervention
to
post-test
intervention
in
the
independent
t-test
analysis.
It is better to implement these intervention strategies to other areas and health
professionals provided ANC service based on WHO guidelines and protocols.
Key words; focused antenatal care, utilization, improving, Tegede district, Ethiopia.
