Assessment of Quality of Antenatal Care in Pregnant Women Delivered in Ain Shams University Hospitals

Background: Quality is the most important issue and the main predictor variable in developing as well as developed countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and antenatal care. Objective: Determination of the quality of antenatal care service and associated factors at Ain Shams University Hospital, using longitudinal study design and questionnaire form. Methods: A total of 520 pregnant women were enrolled, after consenting each of them. Women were asked to fill the online questionnaire form give a clear answer to each item. This questionnaire defined three interconnected components of quality: structure, process, and outcomes. Deliveries outcomes were compared after the end of study. Primary outcome was assessment of the overall level quality of antenatal care service provision at Ain Shams University in comparison with other hospitals, private/public clinics and health offices. Secondary outcome was identification of the determinant factors for quality of antenatal care. Results: No differences between study groups regarding the three components of quality of ANC. However, our study revealed that other governmental and private healthcare settings were better than Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital regarding frequency of maternal weight and blood pressure measuring during ANC, fetal assessment using ultrasound, counseling about iron and calcium intake. Conclusion: Educational level (secondary and above) and attending regular ANC during pregnancy were significant factors associated with higher total ANC score. Caesarean section rate was higher among cases delivered at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital that could be explained by Ain Shams Maternity University Hospital is a tertiary hospital and almost all cases delivered at it were complicated cases required urgent interventions.