Midwives' perceptions about adolescents' utilisation of public prenatal services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
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Authors
Chaibva, Cynthia N.
Ehlers, V.J.
Roos, Janetta H.
Issue Date
2010-12
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
Adolescent pregnancies; prenatal care; midwifery in Zimbabwe
Alternative Title
Abstract
Objectives: to identify midwives’ perceptions about adolescents’ failure to utilise prenatal services or to
initiate such utilisation late during their pregnancies.
Design: a quantitative descriptive and exploratory design, using questionnaires to collect data, to
describe midwives’ perceptions about factors influencing pregnant adolescents’ non-utilisation or late
utilisation of prenatal services.
Setting: 20 public health centres (comprising two hospitals and 18 primary health-care clinics)
rendering prenatal services, distributed throughout the city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Participants: 52 midwives, rendering prenatal services in Bulawayo, completed questionnaires.
Measurements and findings: demographic, socio-economic, knowledge-related and service-related
factors (unfriendly midwives and substandard prenatal services) influenced pregnant adolescents’ late
or non-utilisation of prenatal services.
Key conclusions: transport costs and charges for prenatal services were major factors influencing
adolescents’ late or non-utilisation of prenatal services. Adolescents needed more knowledge about the
advantages of prenatal services. Effective prenatal services should be provided by friendly and
welcoming midwives.
Implications for practice: pregnant adolescents need more knowledge about the advantages of prenatal
services, and these should be more accessible. Charges for public prenatal services must be reduced or
abandoned; subsidised or free public transport for pregnant adolescents could enhance their utilisation
of prenatal services.
Description
Citation
Chaibva et al.; Midwives' perceptions about adolescents' utilisation of public prenatal services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Publisher
Midwifery
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0266-6138