Midwives’ Perceptions of the Barriers and Facilitators to the Delivery and Uptake of Preconception Care in the Gomoa East District, Ghana

Abstract

Maternal mortality is a global issue, with 810 women dying daily from pregnancy complications in 2017. 94% of these deaths occur in low- and lower-middle-income countries, especially among young teenagers. Preconception care, or pre-pregnancy care, aims to improve health status and reduce behaviors contributing to poor maternal and child health outcomes. However, if preconception had been addressed, many pregnancy-related problems could have been avoided. This thesis explores midwives' perceptions regarding the delivery and uptake of preconception care (PCC) services in the Gomoa East District of Ghana. The study aims to identify barriers and facilitators to the provision and acceptance of PCC, focusing on midwives' perspectives. Using maximum variation purposive sampling technique and a qualitative case study approach, data was collected from 24 midwives in six selected health facilities. Date was analysed using the six-step content analysis approach to accurately depict translations. The findings reveal insights into midwives' knowledge levels, perceived barriers, and facilitators related to PCC. The study underscores the significance of addressing these factors to enhance the delivery and uptake of PCC services. The study concluded midwives’ qualities such as knowledge levels, client-related factors, community level factors and health-related factors impacted the uptake and delivery within Gomoa East. Again, the realisation of the role of PCC in early detection can help reinforce its importance and uptake.