Kaswa Ramprakash, Rupesinghe George F D, Longo-Mbenza Benjamin
Department of Family Medicine, Walter Sisulu University.
Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med. 2018 Jul 2;10(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1300.
Antenatal care (ANC) services are the gateway for integrated management of several conditions that adversely affect the mother and foetus. More stillbirths than neonatal deaths in South Africa are a reflection of poor quality ANC services. Aim: The primary aim of this study was to explore the reasons for late booking, and also to determine pregnant women's knowledge, perceptions and attitude towards antenatal care services they receive in Mthatha area in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Setting: This was a qualitative study, conducted at Mbekweni Health Centre in the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) subdistrict municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. Methods: This qualitative study consisted of selected pregnant women who presented after 19 weeks of gestation at Mbekweni Health Centre. Data were collected through two different methods, namely, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were used until saturation of the themes were reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analyses were undertaken. Results: Twenty women participated in the study. They were diverse in terms of age 18-41 years, gravidity 1-6 and time of ANC booking 20-28 weeks. The interviews identified a variety of personal, service and organisational reasons for late ANC booking. The themes identified for late ANC bookings were: health care system related issues, socio-economic factors, women's perceptions and knowledge, and failure of family planning services. Conclusions: Women's beliefs, knowledge and perceptions regarding antenatal services outweigh the perceived benefit of early ANC visit. The majority of women had lack of knowledge of contraception, early signs of pregnancy, purpose, timing and benefits of ANC visit.
产前保健（ANC）服务是对几种对母亲和胎儿产生不利影响的病症进行综合管理的途径。在南非，死产多于新生儿死亡反映出产前保健服务质量较差。目的：本研究的主要目的是探究延迟预约的原因，并确定南非东开普省姆塔塔地区孕妇对其所接受的产前保健服务的知识、认知和态度。背景：这是一项定性研究，在东开普省萨巴塔·达林德耶博国王（KSD）分区市的姆贝奎尼健康中心进行。方法：这项定性研究选取了在姆贝奎尼健康中心妊娠19周后前来就诊的孕妇。通过两种不同方法收集数据，即半结构化访谈和焦点小组讨论，直至主题达到饱和。访谈内容逐字转录并进行了主题分析。结果：20名女性参与了该研究。她们年龄在18至41岁之间，妊娠次数为1至6次，产前保健预约时间为20至28周，各不相同。访谈确定了延迟进行产前保健预约的各种个人、服务和组织方面的原因。确定的延迟产前保健预约的主题有：与医疗保健系统相关的问题、社会经济因素、女性的认知和知识以及计划生育服务的失败。结论：女性对产前服务的信念、知识和认知超过了早期进行产前保健就诊所带来的预期益处。大多数女性对避孕、怀孕早期迹象、产前保健就诊的目的、时间和益处缺乏了解。
