title: [Quality of prenatal care: traditional primary care and Family Health Strategy units in a city in southern Brazil].
abstract: Prenatal care in traditional primary care units (UBS) and Family Health Strategy units (ESF) was evaluated by a cross-sectional study from July 2009 to February 2010 in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Seven hundred and ninety-five postpartum women who had received prenatal care in either of the two types of units were interviewed. Four quality levels were used: level 1 (Kessner index modified by Takeda); level 2, which adds clinical obstetric procedures to level 1; level 3, which adds laboratory tests to level 1; and level 4, which includes all the above parameters. Prenatal care in the Family Health Strategy was superior to that of traditional primary care at all levels, with statistically significant differences in levels 1 and 2. Pregnant women received more guidance and prenatal care was superior in the Family Health Strategy. The study favored the Family Health Strategy, but improvement is still needed in the performance of procedures and laboratory tests in order to enhance prenatal care and strengthen primary care.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil. eleanversa@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Elenir Terezinha Rizzetti
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Anversa
authors.forename: Gisele Alsina Nader
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.forename: Luciana Neves
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Tatiane da Silva
authors.initials: Tda S
authors.lastname: Dal Pizzol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult