[Technical quality of prenatal visits in Senegal]

The objective of this study is to estimate the quality of antenatal care in Senegal. A survey was conducted in 49 health centers near 70 health workers practising antenatal cares for pregnant women. The quality of cares was assessed on 13 essential actions, which were classified in 4 components. The global score of quality and the specific score of each component were calculated and analysed according to the qualification and the duration of time in the work of the health workers, the location and the equipment of the centers. Global quality of prenatal cares was linked with the qualification of agents. The component "screening for risk factors" had low and worse score and "reception of pregnant women" also. These 2 components were not linked with the qualification of agents, contrary to the 2 others, pregnancy and mother health surveillance. The duration of time in service and the equipment had no influence in global and specific scores. The health workers qualification was linked with many components of quality, but a good basic training is not sufficient to provide prenatal care of high quality. It must be define a framework with screening for unfavorable ends of pregnancy.