Antenatal care and morbidity profile of pregnant women in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi, India.

Abstract

Context: The burden of antenatal morbidities and health care services utilization during antenatal period serve an important role in defining service needs and to assess reproductive health status of women.

Objectives: To evaluate the burden of antenatal morbidities in women and to assess the health care utilization by study subjects during antenatal period.

Materials and method: A community based follow up study was carried out in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi. All pregnant women in the study area were enrolled and followed for two more visits to collect information about morbidities suffered and health care services utilized during pregnancy. Appropriate tests of significance were applied.

Results: Of 358 women enrolled, three hundred could be followed for two more visits. Majority of women (80.3%) suffered one or more morbidities during their current pregnancy but overall care sought for illness during pregnancy was poor. Visits for routine preventive check up was made by most of women (95% and above) but recommended three antenatal visits was significantly low among women of age more than thirty (OR=16.6; 2.2-125.9), of lower middle socio economic status (OR=2.84; 1.16-6.93) and parity three or more (OR=4.37; 1.07-17.83). Women with education status of high school and above had significantly lower odd ratio (OR=0.33; 0.11-0.99) for having less than three antenatal visits.

Conclusions: Care sought for antenatal morbidities is still poor among women of urban resettlement colonies and age, parity and education of women has a significant bearing on antenatal visits.