Quality antenatal care in the local public health sector : midwives’ views

Abstract

Quality of antenatal care is a significant determinant of the prosperity and safety of motherhood. The Institute of Medicine suggested a working definition of ‘quality’ in healthcare, in which the fundamental factors were highlighted: safety, timely, efficiency, women-centred, effectivity and equitable (Institute of Medicine, 2001). The aim of this study was to explore the midwives’ views of the quality of antenatal care in the local public health sector. The objectives of the study were to seek the midwives’ views and understandings on the factors that constitute quality antenatal care and to identify the midwives’ strategies in improving the factors that constitute quality of antenatal care. To fulfil the study’s aim and objectives, a qualitative study was carried out, using self-designed semi-structured interviews, consisting of open-ended questions. The sample consisted of six midwives working at the outpatient’s antenatal clinic, at the local general hospital and the sampling technique chosen was convenience sampling. Data was analysed by content analysis using Braun & Clarke (2006) framework. The findings of this study demonstrate, that midwives are not acquainted with the notion of quality, as they failed to directly identify the six factors emphasised by the Institute of Medicine (2001). Notwithstanding this, in relation to their views on the local antenatal care services, all of the midwives identified that the provision of antenatal care locally, needs to better its quality. Moreover, midwives were aware of the obstacles preventing the provision of quality care, and in view of this, proposed recommendations towards developing state of the art antenatal care services. This thus exhibits, that midwives do have a basic understanding of the multi-dimensional concept of quality, however the midwives might need further education and training in this regard. For this reason, the researcher proposed recommendations for education, clinical practice and further research.