Situation of antenatal care and delivery practices.
OBJECTIVE
The study aims to assess the situation of antenatal care usage and delivery practices in the study area. (i) To study the coverage rate for ANC and hospital delivery in different age group, parity, educational status and economic status. (ii)To study the relation of ANC visit and hospital delivery.


METHODS
The study design is descriptive cross sectional study. The study was carried out in ward no. 9 of Mahankal VDC, Kathmandu. 50 women of reproductive age group who had delivered live birth five years preceding the survey were selected. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered through informal interview. For the women with more than one child, the information was gathered for the last birth. The data were analyzed through the SPSS software.


RESULTS
Antenatal visit was a success story. Seventy eight percent of women were using the services. More notable fact was that the 62% of the respondents made antenatal visits for four or more than four times. Seventy two percent of the respondents y received the tetanus toxoid shots. Sixty six percent of the deliveries were hospital deliveries assisted by the doctors. However, 34% of deliveries occurred at home. The difference in ANC visit in different age groups and parity was not much obvious. The educational effect was clear as nearly double women who attained SLC or above, made four or more ANC visit as compared to illiterates. ANC seen as pathway to the institutional deliveries, once again proved its potential. Around 90% of women who made four or more ANC visits delivered in hospital as compared to 18.18% of women who never made any ANC visit.


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of antenatal care use and hospital deliveries in the study area is found good in percentage. The rapid urbanization is taking place in nearby VDCs of Kathmandu. The hospitals in the Kathmandu are accessible to these VDCs. This could be the reason behind increased antenatal care usage and hospital delivery in the study area.
Pradhan
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Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal, Kathmandu. amiseason@yahoo.com
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006700:Home Childbirth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009390:Nepal; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires