An assessment of quality of antenatal care services: a study in two communes in Viet Nam

Tran Quang Lam, Institute for Population and Social Research

In Vietnam, antennal care is viewed as an important way to ensure healthy pregnancy and safe motherhood and is delivered down to grass-root levels. However, its quality still does not meet high expectation. This study is carried out in two coastal communes. Quality of ANC has been assessed in the aspects of interpersonal relation, information exchange, routine performance, mechanism for continuity of service utilization and acceptability and accessibility of services. In-depth interviews of service providers and clients as well as observation in health stations have been made. Research findings suggest that despite favorable conditions given in the two communes, some aspects of antenatal services still need to be improved. Antenatal services seem not to have clear contribution to maternal and child health. Reasons of poor services are not on capability of midwives but their lack of proper attitude and perception. Women’s awareness of quality services needs to be raised.