Assessment of quality of antenatal care services in public sector facilities in India

We undertook assessment of quality of antenatal care (ANC) services in public sector facilities in the Indian state of Bihar state delivered under the national ANC programme (Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, PMSMA).

Three community health centres and one subdistrict hospital each in two randomly selected districts of Bihar.

Pregnant women who sought ANC services under PMSMA irrespective of the pregnancy trimester.

Quality ANC services were considered if a woman received all of these services in that visit-weight, blood pressure and abdomen check, urine and blood sample taken, and were given iron and folic acid and calcium tablets. The process of ANC service provision was documented.

Eight hundred and fourteen (94.5% participation) women participated. Coverage of quality ANC services was 30.4% (95% CI 27.3% to 33.7%) irrespective of pregnancy trimester, and was similar in both districts and ranged 3%-83.1% across the facilities. Quality ANC service coverage was significantly lower for women in the first trimester of pregnancy (6.8%, 95% CI 3.3% to 13.6%) as compared with those in the second (34.4%, 95% CI 29.9% to 39.1%) and third (32.9%, 95% CI 27.9% to 38.3%) trimester of pregnancy. Individually, the coverage of weight and blood pressure check-up, receipt of iron folic acid (IFA) and calcium tablets, and blood sample collection was >85%. The coverage of urine sample collection was 46.3% (95% CI 42.9% to 49.7%) and of abdomen check-up was 62% (95% CI 58.6% to 65.3%). Poor information sharing post check-up was done with the pregnant women. Varied implementation of ANC service provision was seen in the facilities as compared with the PMSMA guidelines, in particular with laboratory diagnostics and doctor consultation. Task shifting from doctors to ANMs was observed in all facilities.

Grossly inadequate quality ANC services under the PMSMA needs urgent attention to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.