19.Antenatal Care Service Utilization of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Public Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period
Almas1, Shahla Afsheen1, Sakeena Ahmed Memon2 and Khalida Avesi2
ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate antenatal care utilization of pregnant women attending care during COVID-19 pandemic.
Study Design: Cross sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Study was conducted at outpatient department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Sindh Government Hospital, Qasimabad, Hyderabad, from February 2021 to July 2021.
Materials and Methods: Three hundred and twenty patients were enrolled in the study. Main variables of study were antenatal visits, education of mother, residential area (rural and urban), and depression during COVID-19 and number of visits. Data analysis was done by using SPSS version 23. Mean and frequency were calculated, test of significance t-test and chi square test were applied. P value ≤0.05 was taken as significance.
Results: The mean height of fundus of the patients was 29.21±4.29cm. Majority of the patients 92.2% was longitude lie. Cephalic was the most common presenting part i.e. 82.8%. Fetal movement and fetal heart sound were positive in 87.2% and 89.7%, respectively. The mean antenatal care visits of the patients were 2.63±1.77 times. Most of the patients 74.7% had ≤3 antenatal care visits. 6.9% patients had positive covid-19 while 5.3% went to isolation.
Conclusion: Findings of this reveal that COVID-19 pandemic reduced the utilization of antenatal health care facilities among pregnant women. Thus, the residency, age of mother and educational status are main contributing factors involved in use ANC facilities.
Key Words: Prenatal care, Antenatal care, Coronavirus disease, Utilization, Pregnant women.
Citation of article: Almas, Afsheen S, Memon SA, Avesi K. Antenatal Care Service Utilization of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Public Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period. Med Forum 2021;32(9):83-87.