Overutilization of antenatal care in Norway.
BACKGROUND
It has long been a common belief in Norway that all pregnant women attend antenatal care, but no documentation has been provided. In 1984, official guidelines were issued recommending a reduction of the number of routine visits. However, no studies have been performed in order to monitor whether the recommendations are followed.


OBJECTIVE
Utilization review of antenatal care in Norway.


METHODS
A national cross-sectional study, comprising all deliveries in all obstetrical units in the country during a two-week registration period in June 1996. Information on onset of antenatal care, the number of visits, parity and gestational age at the time of delivery was collected. The study comprised 1,557 deliveries; 45 of the 60 obstetrical units in the country participated.


RESULTS
The mean number of antenatal visits was 12.2. Only two of the 1,557 women (0.1%) delivered without any previous antenatal care. A total of 80% started antenatal care in the first trimester, 0.4% had their first antenatal visit in the third trimester. The mean number of antenatal visits was substantially higher than the recommended number.


CONCLUSIONS
Antenatal care-providers do not comply with the official guidelines.
Backe
B
B
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. bjorn.backe@medisin.ntnu.no
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010298:Parity; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review