Concurrent Use of Multiple Antenatal Care Providers by Women Utilising Free Antenatal Care at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki

Sunday Adeoye, L U Ogbonnaya, OUJ Umeorah, O Asiegbu

Abstract

Observation has revealed that women who book at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, concurrently use multiple antenatal care givers (formal and non-formal). This study was therefore conducted to identify the other sources of antenatal care for the women and to examine them in relation to their socio-demographic characteristics. A total of 200 antenatal women chosen from two randomly selected booking clinics were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The results show that 25% and 30.5% respectively from the two clinics were concurrently using formal and unorthodox ANC givers. Age and education were significantly related to the practice (p < 0.0002 and p < 0.02 respectively). These findings suggest that free services alone may not be enough to make women attend ANC in the hospital. A larger study, especially investigating patient's perspective of the quality of care, is recommended. (Afr J Reprod Health 2005; 9[2]: 101-106)

 

Keywords: Antenatal, Care, Women, Clinic

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