Table 1.
Antenatal care (ANC) services received with reference to national and international policy guidelines (N = 1057)
| ANC services | No. (%) of patients | National policy* | WHO’s recommendation† |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC received: |
Every pregnant woman should receive ANC five times during her pregnancy |
Every pregnant women should receive routine ANC four times during her pregnancy |
|
| <5 times |
485 (46) |
||
| ≥5 times |
572 (54) |
||
| Maternal health care booklet‡ |
Township hospitals in rural areas should distribute a maternal health care booklet to every pregnant woman in their catchment area |
Not mentioned |
|
| yes |
681 (64) |
||
| no |
375 (36) |
||
| First time to receive ANC |
Every pregnant woman in their catchment area should receive ANC once during her first trimester of gestation |
Every pregnant woman should receive ANC once before the 4th month of pregnancy |
|
| <3 mo |
491 (46) |
||
| ≥3 mo |
566 (54) |
||
| Providers§ |
All ANC providers should be certified and trained for skills needed for providing ANC |
Not mentioned |
|
| doctors |
903 (86) |
||
| nurses |
119 (11) |
||
| midwifes, family planning workers, and other providers |
29 (3) |
||
| Physical examination |
|||
| weighed |
861 (81) |
Every pregnant woman should be weighed |
Every pregnant woman should be weighed |
| blood pressure measured |
962 (91) |
Every pregnant woman should have blood pressure measured |
Every pregnant woman should have blood pressure measured |
| Diagnostics |
|||
| hemoglobin test |
830 (79) |
Every pregnant woman should undergo hemoglobin test for anemia detection |
Every pregnant woman should undergo hemoglobin test for anemia detection |
| urine sample taken |
811 (77) |
Every pregnant woman should undergo urine test (Urine routine test and urine protein test) |
Every pregnant woman should undergo urine test (Urine routine test and urine protein test) |
| syphilis test |
511 (48) |
Every pregnant woman should undergo syphilis test |
Every pregnant woman should undergo syphilis test |
| HBV test |
625 (59) |
Every pregnant woman should undergo HBV test |
Every pregnant woman should undergo HBV test |
| HIV/AIDS test |
497 (47) |
Every pregnant woman should undergo HIV/AIDS test |
Every pregnant woman should undergo HIV/AIDS test |
| Prevention |
|||
| iron supplements |
235 (22) |
No policy |
Give all pregnant women iron once daily in pregnancy |
| folic acid supplements |
527 (50) |
Every woman in rural areas should receive free folic acid supplementation before pregnancy and during the first trimester of gestation |
Give all pregnant women folic acid once daily in pregnancy |
| advised on nutrition during pregnancy |
623 (59) |
Every pregnant woman should receive counseling on nutrition during pregnancy |
Every pregnant woman should receive counseling on nutrition during pregnancy |
| advised on birth and emergency plan |
445 (42) |
Every pregnant woman should receive counseling on birth and emergency plan |
Every pregnant woman should receive counseling on birth and emergency plan |
| advised on syphilis |
133 (13) |
Provide counseling on changing risky sexual behavior and information on preventing transmission of syphilis, HBV and HIV/AIDS if test is negative. Further treatment and counseling if test is positive |
Provide counseling on safer sex if test is negative. Further treatment and counseling if test is positive |
| advised on HBV |
227 (21) |
Not mentioned |
|
| advised on HIV/AIDS |
152 (14) |
Provide counseling on safer sex if test is negative. Further treatment and counseling if test is positive. |
|
| advised on delaying the next pregnancy |
301 (28) |
One child policy |
Advice and counseling on family planning |
| advised on breastfeedingII | 291 (28) | Every pregnant woman should receive counseling on breastfeeding during pregnancy | Every pregnant woman should receive counseling on breastfeeding during pregnancy |
*National policy refers to Law of the People's Republic of China on population and family planning, the six major public health services, nine basic public health services, and National Action Plan for PMTCT of HIV, syphilis, and HBV (4-6,28).
†World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation refers to pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and newborn care: a guide for essential practice issued in 2006 (3).
‡Data on 1 patient are missing.
§Data on 6 patients are missing.
IIData on 5 patients are missing.