Assessment of Women Attending First Antenatal Care Visits at Saboti Sub County Hospital from March to December 2020

Introduction: Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. The World Health Organization (W.H.O) recommends a ‘Focused’ ANC, consisting of (at least) four visits to a health facility during an uncomplicated pregnancy to be initiated within the first trimester of gestation. In sub-Saharan Africa women initiate ANC after the first trimester. The study was to describe socio demographics, assess teenage pregnancy, assess HIV and Syphilis positivity, characterize 1st visits by trimester and gravidity and conduct Data Quality Audit (DQA) 

Methods: The Study area was Saboti Sub County Hospital and all women who attended first ANC March – December 2020 (n=509) were included.  This was a retrospective data review from ANC Register (MOH 405). The Data abstracted from MOH 405 and descriptive data analysis and DQA done on Excel. 

Results: The mean age of women was 25 with SD of 7 years and 23.4 % were teenagers. Women of 20-24 age group were 34% and 67.4% started ANC in their 2nd trimester. Married women and 1st time mothers were 78.4% and 37.7% respectively with HIV and Syphilis positivity of 0.6 % and 0.4 % respectively and 4 % of women received ITNs 

Conclusion: Intended pregnancies is directly proportional to seeking ANC  and 12.4%   initiating ANC Care at 1st trimester was lower than western region of 20% (KDHS 2014). Syphilis screening is a key in prevention of poor pregnancy outcomes and possibly the two previous lost pregnancies were due to latent syphilis infection.  ITNs had been out of stock and the 23.4% of teenage pregnant women was higher than, Lamu, Garissa and Wajir at 10% but lower than Narok – 40%. Recommendations; Community Directed interventions, Strengthen PMTCT, aPNS and Laboratory Testing and Maintain consistent supply of ITNs 

Keywords: Antennal care, women attending visits, Saboti Sub county hospital