Access to Antenatal Care: A Sociological Analysis of Availability and Utilisation at Pangappara PHC

Antenatal care is the care for pregnant females in the months and weeks before the birth of their babies. The main aim of this care is to discover the problems and prevent complications before childbirth. The present study analysed the quality and facilities offered for antenatal women at Pangappara Primary Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram District. Data was collected from respondents using a structured questionnaire and direct interview method. The study's objectives are to evaluate the facilities, quality of receiving services and advice on antenatal care from PHC. The result shows that the majority of the women belong to the age group between 20 to 25, their highest educational qualification is 10th, annual income is from 100000 to 150000. Most pregnant women are from the nuclear family, live in semi-urban areas, and have visited PHC once. Through this form of preventive health care, women can learn from skilled health personnel about healthy behaviours during pregnancy, better understand warning signs during pregnancy and childbirth, and receive social, emotional and psychological support at this critical time. Through antenatal care, pregnant women can also access micronutrient supplementation, treatment for hypertension to prevent eclampsia and immunisation against tetanus. Antenatal care can also provide HIV testing and medications to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In areas where malaria is endemic, health personnel can provide pregnant women with medications and insecticide-treated mosquito nets to help prevent this debilitating and sometimes deadly disease.