Increase in the number of women receiving prenatal care in developing countries

The ability of women to access health services and prenatal care have increased by 20% in developing countries, according to a report published jointly by UNICEF and WHO
The benefits of prenatal care
It is in Asia that the increase was the highest (31%) and sub-Saharan that progress seems more timid Africa.

"We can not overemphasize the benefits of regular prenatal care," said Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF. "When a woman consults in early pregnancy, there is still time to diagnose and treat infections, prevent low birth weight and other problems in the newborn," she says.

The report features the country now consider antenatal as a unique opportunity to vaccinate pregnant women against tetanus, give them a mosquito net impregnated with insecticide to protect themselves from malaria, anemia screening, to enlist women in the program to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child and to advise them to give birth in good conditions. So many good services that contribute to the mother remains healthy and that her child the best start in life.

A woman who receives prenatal care is also more likely to give birth in the presence of a qualified person (a doctor, a midwife, a nurse), able to detect and deal with the complications of accouchemeent.

"The most dangerous time for a pregnant woman is that of labor and childbirth. This is the time that happens most of the deaths," said Joy Phumapi, Deputy Director-General of WHO.

In developing countries, more than half of women spend at least four antenatal visits, a figure which is recommended by WHO for normal pregnancies mininum.

There are exceptions such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nepal and Yemen, where the percentage of women who consult once during pregnancy remains relatively high. In Nepal, for example, 38% of women submit at least one visit, but only 9% in spend four or more. It is in southern Asia that, overall, the rates are lowest: not more than 50% have a prenatal visit.

Income and education are determinants
The study by UNICEF and WHO shows, moreover, that the antenatal care depends largely on factors such as income and education. For example, in Pakistan, only 7% of women in poor households receive prenatal care while this proportion reached 70% for the richest households.

The report also indicates that women with a secondary education are 2-3 times more likely to receive prenatal care than those with no education.

The authors believe, to conclude that more efforts should focus on four key points:

1 / Improve the nutritional status of women, prevent and treat infections (malaria, sexually transmitted infections).

2 / Provide information, care and prevention of HIV infection in particular to avoid the transmission of the virus from mother to child.

3 / Informing the spacing that contributes to the health and survival of children.

4 / Inform women and families about the symptoms that may indicate a danger and risks during labor and delivery.