| dc.description.abstract | Prenatal care is the care and supervision that are grven throughout pregnancy. The
objective is accomplished by ascertaining the patients general physical condition at the
beginning of pregnancy, advising and supervising or carrying out prophylactic and
therapeutic measures as needed and preparing the patient psychologically for pregnancy,
labor, delivery and infant care. There are myriad reasons why women are unable to make
use of care that is theoretically accessible to them. The aim of this study therefore was to
find the factors that lead to utilization of prenatal health services. The area of study was
Maragua District.
The study was a survey usmg ex-post facto research design. The mam tool of data
collection was an interview schedule, which was supplemented by an interview guide. The
sampling technique used was random selection in which a sample of 90 women aged
between 15 and 49 were selected. These were from Maragua, Kabati and Makuyu
Divisions.
The study found that the main factors which affect utilization are knowledge about prenatal
care, accessibility of centers and mode of service delivery at the clinics. It was found that
mothers aged 21-30 utilize prenatal health centers the most with 60% of them having three
or more visits. The researcher asked women to give reasons why they or other women may
fail to attend prenatal care. The women gave personal reasons such as embarrassment,
abuse from attendants and religious persuasion. The very young and older mothers were
found to be less likely to seek prenatal care due to embarrassment and fear to disclose the
pregnancy. They mostly sought care when they felt sick or to acquire the prenatal card
which is required in hospital at the time of confinement.
The most common reasons cited for not attending prenatal clinic were long waiting time at.
the clinic and long traveling distances. Most mothers complained that they had to wait for a
long time before being given a cursory check-up. There were also reports of women
returning home unattended. The cost per visit and workload at home were also cited as
common reasons why women may fail to attend prenatal clinic.
Patterns of delivery of prenatal care were also examined to determine their effectiveness.
The study sought to find the amount of time spent per check up. Over 50% of the women
said they spent five minutes or less with the health practitioner. This is much less than the
time required to carry out the required checks. The majority also reported that they were
only given foetal and weight exam. From the average time spent, the researcher concluded
that there is little or no counseling given to the women during the visits.
The study also found that 31% of the women interviewed did not recerve health
supplements. The study was however not conclusive and further research is needed to
identify all the intervening factors in determining levels of utilization. The researcher also
recommends that modalities be put in place to ensure that the set patterns of service
delivery are implemented. The number of clinics and service providers should also be
increased. There is also need to educate women on the importance of prenatal care. | en |
