FEEDBACK FROM POSTNATAL MOTHERS REGARDING ANTENATAL AND POSTNATAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN TWO DISTRICTS OF A HILLY STATE OF NORTH INDIA

Vikas Thakur*, Rakesh Thakur, Sumit Sharma, Gurmeet Singh and Jai Gopal Vohra

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To assess the effect of facility and community based interventions on maternal and newborn care. Methods: cross-sectional study done in selected health blocks from two districts of Himachal Pradesh with the help of pre tested and pre designed Questionnaires for postnatal mothers. Results: Our study describes about feedback from postnatal mothers regarding provision of ANC and PNC services it was found that 67% pregnancies were diagnosed by ASHA workers and remaining 33% were diagnosed by ANMs. All were registered in first trimester. Out of total postnatal mothers interviewed 72.3% of them were examined by ASHAs regarding complications of post-natal period and 95.4% of them were educated by ASHAs regarding immunization of baby. It was found that 59.6% of them were educated by ANMs about complications during ANC, 63.8% of them were motivated by ANMs for institutional delivery, 74.3% of them were educated by ANMs regarding breast feeding practices, 63.83% of them were examined by ANMs regarding complications of post-natal period & 60.6% of them were educated by ANMs regarding immunization of baby. We observed that 7.4% of post-natal mothers were not educated about complications during ANC, 11.7% were not motivated for institutional delivery, 22.3% were not educated regarding breast feeding practices, 7.4% were not examined regarding complications of post-natal period and 1.1% were not educated regarding immunization of baby by any of the service providers. Conclusions: All health care providers should target for 100% service delivery which is lacking in our study.

Keywords: ANC, PNC, ASHA, ANM.