Knowledge about the importance of antenatal care among females of child bearing age living in a suburban community of Lahore

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: During the past few decades, females had been making conscious decision to have antenatal checkup from skilled health care provider due to improved education which had played a vital role to enhance their awareness regarding the importance of this comprehensive health service. The objective was to find out the perception of females of child bearing age about the importance of antenatal care during their last pregnancy, living in a suburban community of Kot-Lakhodare Lahore. METHODS: Females of reproductive age (15-49 years) living in Kot-Lakhodare were enrolled. Through a structured questionnaire, using convenient sampling technique, 1224 females of childbearing were interviewed through a cross sectional survey. The study was completed between January till August 2016. Question pertaining to their sociodemographic characteristics, perception about the importance of antenatal care services and comorbid conditions during the last pregnancy were asked. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 21. The ethical approval both institutional and individual were duly taken. RESULTS: Mean age was 32 ±7.8SD years with education up to primary. Three quarter of females were un- employed with monthly income less than rupees 25,000 / month. All females 869(73%) who had perception about importance of antenatal checkup during their last pregnancy had no history of anemia, hypertension, diabetes and abortion (p<0.05). These females coming for the antenatal checkup delivered uneventfully by normal vaginal route and preferred government and private hospital for delivery and were vaccinated against Tetanus Toxoid (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The females of child bearing age during the last pregnancy had adequate knowledge about the importance of antenatal care which played an important role in prevention of comorbid conditions like anemia, hypertension, diabetes and risk of abortion. Moreover, they had the perception of importance of institutionalized deliveries, tetanus Toxoid vaccination coverage during pregnancy.