Effect of Frequent Antenatal Visits on Fetomaternal Outcome in Low Risk Obetetrics Patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of frequency of antenatal visits on fetomaternal outcome in low-risk obstetrics patients.
Methods: It is a retrospective descriptive study on women delivering at Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital. The antenatal record of the study population was reviewed on admission. The maternal and fetal complications were recorded.
Results: Amongst 336 patients, delivered in duration of 3 months period, 271 (80.5%) patients had at least one antenatal visit while 65 (19.3%) patients had no visit (unregistered). From demographic profile, the maximum number of patients having 5-8 or >8 visits, they were between 20-35 years of age, primigravidas, urban residents, upper class patients having education of intermediate or more. Healthy mothers were seen in >8 and 5-8 visit group i.e. 10 (90.9%) and 150 (83.3%) respectively. The maternal complications like anemia (46.1, 26.2, 10.5, 9%), PIH (12.5%, 4.4%, 0%), APH (7.6%, 2.5%, 0.5%, 0%) PPH (4.6%, 2.5%, 1.1, 0%),eclampsia (3%,1.2%,0%,0%) and ruptured uterus (1.5%, 0%, 0%, 0%) were found to be inversely proportional to the increasing frequency of antenatal visits i.e. unregistered, 1-4,5-8 and>8 visits respectively. Perinatal complicationslike lowbirthweight(23%, 10%, 1.6%, 0%), preterm(16.9%, 10%, 2.2%,0%), intrauterine death (6.1%, 2.5%, 0, 0%) NICU admission (12.3%, 6.2%, 2.2%, 0%) and early neonatal death (9.2%, 2.5%, 0%, 0%) were found gradually decreasing with increasing number of antenatal visits.
Conclusion: We concluded that the provision of proper antenatal care through frequent antenatal visits is mandatory for having a better fetomaternal outcome. Although the attendance for antenatal checkups is quite encouraging in our study along with attendance, the quality of antenatal care needs to be strengthened too.