Quality and Experience of Antenatal Care Services in Baant Primary Health Care Center, Gezira State, Sudan: A Facility-Based Cross-Sectional Study from August to November 2023.
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Abstract
Antenatal care (ANC) remains a cornerstone for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Recent global frameworks emphasize not only service coverage but also quality and experience of care .
A facility-based cross-sectional analytic study was conducted at Baant Primary Health Care Center, Wad Medani, Gezira State, Sudan, from August to November 2023. A total of 400 women attending ANC were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from WHO quality assessment tools. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Chi-square test was used to assess associations. P ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Among 400 participants, 68.5% were aged 20–40 years and 55% resided in urban areas. Blood pressure measurement (99.2%), abdominal examination (100%), hemoglobin testing (100%), urine testing (100%), tetanus vaccination (100%), and iron/folic acid supplementation (98.5%) showed high coverage. However, height (3.7%) and weight (3.5%) measurements were rarely documented. Ultrasound was performed in 26% of cases. Respectful treatment was reported by 96% of women. Residence was significantly associated with experience of care (p=0.050).
Core clinical ANC services were largely provided; however, gaps remain in anthropometric monitoring and counseling components. Strengthening standardized protocols and enhancing woman-centered communication are essential to improve ANC quality in Sudanese PHC settings.
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