Health workers warn expectant mothers over delayed antenatal visits

ARUA

Health workers in Arua district are concerned about delays by expectant mothers to turn up for antenatal care services.

The vice, according to them, is common among those who have previously given birth, which they attribute to the attitude of mothers who think that they have enough experience.

Jane Amviko, a midwife at Ediofe Health Centre III in Arua city confirmed that the facility is registering cases of mothers reporting for antenatal so late which is risky to their lives.

“We have a number of mothers who report late, especially those who have delivered before thinking they have enough experience. They come at six to eight months yet antenatal starts immediately one conceives,” Amviko said.

Antenatal care is given to pregnant women with the aim of preventing, detecting and treating health problems in both the foetus and mother.

In addition, the health workers say early antenatal care attendance promotes early detection and treatment of complications, which results in proper management during delivery.

However, the majority of Mothers in Arua district who have given birth before are shunning early antenatal care because of fear of frequent movement.

At Aroi Health Centre III, the in-charge maternity ward, Bella Bako, said the trend of antenatal visits by mothers in the first trimester is still very low and the facility is struggling to mobilize mothers through Village health Teams (VHTs) to ensure mothers attend and receive all the recommended antenatal services.

“Antenatal visit in the first trimester stands at 35% which is low. So, we are struggling to increase the number through a strategy mapping up pregnant mothers in the community by VHTs and referring them to health centres and I'm sure in six months, we might reach 50 to 60%,” Bako said.

Drivers of delayed visits

Nancy Nabwiso, a mother of four and a resident of Pajulu Ayivu West admits to reporting late for antenatal care knowing that she is receiving the same services in her previous pregnancy. She also attributes the delay to fear of insults from midwives because of poor spacing.

“I decided to go late for antenatal because it was going to be the same management in the previous pregnancies and also I had conceived too early. So, I was scared that the midwives would blast me so I had to prolong my months," Nabwiso said.

Eunice Eyotaru, a mother of two, said moving to the hospital every month is hectic and that is the reason most mothers go late for their antenatal.

“I prefer stating my antenatal after several months from the time I conceived because moving to the hospital every month is tiresome” Eyotaru said.

Each stage in pregnancy is important

Meanwhile, Dr Victor Afayo, a gynaecologist at Arua Regional Referral Hospital, said each stage in pregnancy is important and women who start antenatal visits late may experience the effects of pregnancy-related health difficulties, as well as long-term health issues and pregnancy complications.

“If a woman reports early for antenatal, she will receive all the services which are available for the first and second trimesters, but those who come late miss a lot of services. There are women who end up dying due to the complications which were not picked within the first months,” Afayo said.

The maternal mortality rate remains a burden in developing countries and antenatal care is one of the key strategies for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality directly through the detection and treatment of pregnancy-related illness, or indirectly through the detection of women at risk of complications of delivery and ensuring that they deliver in a suitably equipped facility.