Evaluation of prenatal care process for habitual-risk pregnant women

Abstract

Objective: Assess the quality of care in the prenatal care process for habitual-risk pregnant women. Methods: Evaluation research, undertaken between May 2015 and January 2016 at the Natural Birth Center (CPN) Lígia Barros Costa in Fortaleza, Ceará. The sample consisted of 560 histories of pregnant women who received prenatal care at the CPN. The data collection instrument included sociodemographic, clinical and obstetric aspects, as well as process indicators of prenatal care. The criteria adopted to assess the process were the prenatal care quality indicators. The data were stored and processed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied. Results: As for the prenatal care quality indicators, 42.3% (n=237) complied with the appropriate number of appointments, have attended seven or more. Only 26.3% (n=147) started prenatal care early. Regarding the quality indicators of the clinical and obstetric procedures, it was verified that 55% (n=309) was appropriate. When the quality indicators were analyzed for the laboratory tests, only 25.4% (n=142) were appropriate. Conclusion: The quality of prenatal care is appropriate in a minority of the study population. Managers and professional should pay greater attention to the planning of actions to improve the indicators, related to the number of appointments, early start of prenatal care, clinical and obstetric procedures and execution of laboratory tests.