Antenatal care primary health care centres, North region, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

The present study was undertaken to study the pattern and quality of antenatal care at primary health care centres in the North Region, Saudi Arabia. The study included [1 108] women chosen by a systemic random sample from those pregnant women registered for antenatal care during the year 1418 Hegri. Their maternal health records were reviewed to extract required data. Results of the study showed that women below the age of 20 years, primigravidae and housewives attended primary health care centres earlier with more frequent visits for antenatal care than others. The provided services were found identical, in most of its components, with the recommended standards of primary health care services in the kingdom. Proper health education programs should be directed to all women in childbearing period regarding the importance of antenatal care. Further studies have to be carried out to establish the optimum content and quality of antenatal care programs, which should be subjected to regular evaluation