title: Evaluation of prenatal care at basic health units in the city of Sao Paulo.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of prenatal care offered in 12 Basic Health Units (BHU) in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, through a review of medical and nurse charts, before and after the municipalization of the public health system. The indicator used considered excellence in care as: starting prenatal care in the first quarter of pregnancy; at least six medical visits; at least two results of blood screening for syphilis and one for HIV; returning to BHU up to 42 days after delivery. This indicator was not present in any care delivered in 2000, and only 7.7% of the care delivered in 2004 obtained it (1.1% to 30% of the care per unit assessed). Although there was an evident improvement in care during the period, the low proportion of excellent prenatal care shows an urgent need to improve this care in the BHU of São Paulo city.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. succi@picture.com.br
authors.forename: Regina Célia de Menezes
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Succi
authors.forename: Elisabeth Niglio
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Letícia de Carvalho
authors.initials: Lde C
authors.lastname: Zanatta
authors.forename: Marina Biffani
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Peixe
authors.forename: Marina Bertelli
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Lucila Amaral Carneiro
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Vianna
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014505:Urban Population