Health care providers’ knowledge and practice of focused antenatal care in a cottage hospital in Enugu State, South East Nigeria

Abstract

The potential of antenatal care for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality and improving newborn survival and health is widely acknowledged. The study sought to investigate Health Care Providers knowledge and practice of focused antenatal care in a cottage Hospital Okpatu. Qualitative ethnographical research design was adopted, while in-depth interview guide and observational checklist were the instruments for data collection. Findings revealed poor knowledge of concept, components, timing of visits on focused antenatal care and non compliance with the guidelines for the practice of focused antenatal care, because of health workers lack of knowledge on focused antenatal care. Conclusively, effort to improve antenatal care should address shortage of trained staff through expanding training opportunities. Based on the above, intensive awareness and retraining of health workers and monitoring and supervision of health care providers on evidence based focused antenatal care is recommended for health care providers in the study area. There is need for health care providers to motivate local government authority in the area to supply more equipment to ensure adequacy of resources to deliver quality care. Also, there should be strategies for implementation of existing policy concerning Focused antenatal care in the study area.

Keywords: Focused Antenatal Care, Knowledge, Practice