Prevalence of antenatal risk conditions among women in an underserved district of Northern Sri Lanka

Abstract

Objective To assess the prevalence of risk conditions among antenatal women in the Vavuniya District.

Design and setting A cross-sectional study was conducted among 392 pregnant women who had completed 36 weeks of gestation and were admitted or referred to two leading hospitals in the district.

Measurements Women were interviewed consecutively using a questionnaire, and their antenatal details were extracted from records by trained investigators. Data on socio-demographics, antenatal care utilisation, risk condition in present and past pregnancies, and preexisting illnesses were obtained.

Results Prevalence of an antenatal risk condition was 52.0%. The common risk conditions included teenage (9.7%) or elderly mother (14.3%), anaemia (8.2%) and abnormal BMI (8.2%). The common risk conditions due to past pregnancy were: history of abortion (19.3%), past caesarean delivery (8.0%), and stillbirth/neonatal death (4.8%). Less than half of the ‘at risk' mothers were educated regarding the risk condition (47.5%) or referred to (48.5%) by the primary care providers. The majority was advised to deliver at a facility with emergency obstetric care.

Conclusions One in every two pregnancies in the Vavuniya District had an antenatal risk condition and services should be organised to meet this need.

Key words:  antenatal risk conditions, antenatal morbidity, conflict, Sri Lanka

DOI: 10.4038/cmj.v54i4.1450

Ceylon Medical Journal Vol.54(4) 2009: 110-114