Antenatal Care Contents and Caesarean Section in Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Antenatal care (ANC) is very necessary for mothers and their unborn children. The need to start on time helps to avoid certain dangers during pregnancy. The rate of caesarean deliveries is significantly increasing in many countries, and Ghana is no exception. This study will assess the effect of the timing of the first antenatal care initiation and the contents of care on caesarean delivery. The study used secondary data that was extracted from the maternal health survey. The study population was 25,062 women who are between the ages of 15 and 49, as defined in the Ghana Maternal Health Survey 2017. The study included only 9237 mothers who have delivered before and also utilized antenatal care during pregnancy. Data were analysed in Stata, where frequencies and percentages with figures were used as illustrations. The rate of caesarean sections is low among mothers who start their antenatal clinic in the first trimester. There is a higher rate of caesarean sections in urban residences as compared to those in rural residences. This was evidenced by the major cities in Ghana. This could be a result of the availability of well-resourced health facilities within these areas. Antenatal care is improving because most women began with it as a preventive measure. This number is comparable to the 69% who stated that they started their antenatal care in the first trimester. Yet antenatal care needs to be encouraged to be started within 16 weeks of pregnancy. This will have a positive impact on caesarean deliveries