Abstract:
Introduction: Maternal death is one of the greatest burdens in the world, especially in developing countries where 99 per cent of maternal deaths occurs.In 2015, Ghana had a maternal mortality ratio of 319 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Some maternal deaths and pregnancy complications can be prevented by the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services (WHO, 2018). Quality antenatal care improves birth outcomes and promotes the utilization of skilled attendance and health actions. Health service providers yearn to provide quality prenatal care, yet some constraints hinder its delivery.
Aim: This study sought to explore midwives‘ perspective on quality antenatal care (ANC) and identified perceived barriers and promoters to providing quality antenatal care (ANC) in the New Juaben Municipality.
Methods: An exploratory study using a qualitative approach was used for this study. A purposive sampling method was used in selecting the participants. Data was collected from eleven midwives who practice antenatal care (ANC) service in the New Juaben Municipal area, using an in-depth interview guide that was administered face-to-face. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Findings: The midwives perceived quality antenatal care to be the holistic and safe care rendered to pregnant women to meet their needs and demands. The perceived barriers to the implementation of quality antenatal care were limited infrastructure, language barrier, low number of antenatal care providers, and uneasy access to antenatal care facility. However, the facilitators of quality antenatal care included easy access to the antenatal care facility, the availability of infrastructure, good midwife-client relationship and good care practices.
Conclusion: This study explored the midwives in the New Juaben Municipal area‘s perception on quality antenatal care and barriers in implementing it. It also explored factors that the midwives perceived to facilitate the delivery of quality ANC. Quality ANC was explored to be dependent on the structure of care such as the infrastructures, staff number and characteristics, and geographical access to the antenatal clinic; clinical care process such as ensuring privacy and confidentiality during the care and seeking the client‘s concerns in making decisions concerning their health; and interpersonal care processes such as attitude of the midwives to the pregnant women.
