Adequacy of Antenatal Care and Its Determinants in Assiut District

The World health organization (WHO) estimated that worldwide in 2021, about 211 women died per 100,000 live birth from pregnancy related causes and increasing to 415 on average in the poorest countries (1)Globally in 2020, nearly 2.4 million babies died during the first 28 days of life (2). High coverage of quality Antenatal Care (ANC) can play a crucial role to decrease maternal and child mortality rates and achieve national and global targets related to maternal and child health. ANC received from skilled provider increases maternal and newborn survival and reduces the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes(3) .

New WHO guidelines on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience include:

1. A minimum of eight contacts are recommended.
2. Counselling about healthy eating and keeping physically active during pregnancy.
3. Daily oral iron and folic acid supplementation
4. Tetanus toxoid vaccination is recommended.
5. One ultrasound scan before 24 weeks' gestation.
6. Health-care providers should ask all pregnant women about their use of alcohol and other substances(4).

The 2016 WHO prenatal care guidelines for a healthy pregnancy experience reflect a change from the centered ANC model with a prescribed minimum of 4 ANC visits (ANC4+) to a more expanded model that emphasizes contact number, timing, and services(5). At the global and national levels, most currently available data indicate that women receive at least 4 antenatal care visits. There is very limited data on the adequacy of ANC based and their correlates on updated WHO recommendations for antenatal care(5, (6),(7)). The current study is conducted in accordance with the research plan of Public Health and Community Medicine Department- Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University.