A critical analysis on underutilization of Ante Natal Care services and identification of legislative implementation challenges. A case study in some health centers of Senqu Health sub-District in the Eastern Cape

• Main Author: Yekani-Mati, Nokonwaba
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of Fort Hare 2014
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015248

Attention has recently focus on improved Ante Natal Care (ANC) Service utilization as one the Department of Health’s strategies in, promoting better health, ensuring safe mothers and babies, reducing HIV/Aids infection of unborn babies , their mothers and their partners, reaching out as many people, who are at the child bearing age as possible and reaching out to those people who are legible for ART during pregnancy so as to put them on ARV treatment if necessary and ensuring that the mothers, babies and partners enjoy support during the pregnancy of mothers and to prepare them for delivery . The idea is to ensure, by antenatal preparation, the best possible pregnancy outcome for women and their babies (Guidelines for MATERNITY CARE in South Africa NDOH 2007: 19).The departmental guidelines through ante natal care seek to ensure that the following take place timorously: Screening for pregnancy problems: women are done physical and examination and blood test are done to identify or exclude pregnancy problems. Assessment of pregnancy risks: Any pregnancy risks that whether physical, medical, psychological and psychosocial are identified and the mother is advised on better pregnancy management. Treatment of problems that may arise during the antenatal period: when there are existing problems that need treatment the mother get managed and is treated as according to the identified problem.