Focused antenatal care: Re-appraisal of current practices

Abstract

Focused antenatal care has been viewed to be a better option to the previously existing orthodox model of antenatal care. The orthodox antenatal care otherwise known as traditional model of antenatal care requires a number of routine and frequent visits by pregnant women to the healthcare facility. This traditional model of antenatal care has been observed to require numerous materials such as financial and human resources for its continuous implementation. The observable cumbersome nature of the traditional model necessitates the recent exploration of alternative model of antenatal care referred to as focused antenatal care (FANC) model. The FANC model emanated during the era of evidenced based practice and evidence based approach to care. Evidence-based ensures that the care rendered are based on previous outcomes of care and are focused on what can be achieved during the less regular but specific visit, which is characterized by being client friendly with reduced cost of implementation. Despite this importance of FANC, antenatal care continues to be centered around clinical assessment, and regular attendance at the clinic. Thus, the objective of this paper is to review the traditional care model and the focused antenatal care model because antenatal care remains a mixture of both art and science, and to re-appraise current antenatal practices.

Antenatal care service utilization disparities between urban and rural communities in Ethiopia: A negative binomial Poisson regression of 2019 Ethiopian Demography Health Survey

“…ANC refers to the medical procedures and care provided during pregnancy [ 5 ], including the clinical assessment of the pregnant woman and her fetus, aimed at achieving a favorable outcome for both the mother and child [ 6 ]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended at least four ANC visits for normal pregnant women and more than four visits for women with complications.…”

Quality of antenatal care and its potential impacts on delivery services and postnatal care compliance among reproductive women of Bangladesh

“…An ANC session is primarily designed for ensuring the wellbeing of the mother and upcoming newborn through detection of pregnancy complications and resolving them through proper measures, answer to mothers' concerns and preparing her for a safe delivery as well to promote health among the mothers (10). ANC services are also meant to enhance health outcomes, reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, lower postpartum anemia, and ensure appropriate weight at birth [2,10,11]. A healthcare provider is able to inform women about the danger signs and symptoms through ANC services and recommend immediate actions to remedy the problems [12].…”

“…A healthcare provider is able to inform women about the danger signs and symptoms through ANC services and recommend immediate actions to remedy the problems [12]. In developing nations, ANC utilization has increased manifolds since the introduction of WHO's focus ANC (FANC) model in 2002, which is a goal oriented and individualized approach to identify pregnancy complications in the earlier period and provide evidence based specialized care to resolute the complications (11). This model classi es pregnant women into two groups based on the presence of pre-existing risk factors and need for special care, as a result number of visits get reduced for mothers who require only routine ANC sessions at four time points (before 16 weeks, between 16-24 weeks, between 30-32 weeks and between 36-40 weeks) (12).…”