Evaluation of Antenatal Care Services Provided by Family Physicians in a Tertiary Care Setting

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) plays a vital role in improving maternal and fetal outcomes by enabling early detection and management of pregnancy-related complications. Family physicians serve as the first point of contact for many pregnant women and are important providers of comprehensive antenatal care services. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antenatal care services provided by family physicians in a tertiary care setting. Material and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the Department of Family Medicine in a tertiary care hospital. Participants were selected using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using a pre-designed and pre-tested structured questionnaire along with review of antenatal records. Information regarding socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, antenatal visits, and services received during antenatal care was recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test to assess associations, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among the 150 participants, the majority were aged 20–24 years (34.7%) and were homemakers (74.7%), while 52.7% belonged to the middle socioeconomic class. Multigravida women constituted 57.3% of the study population. Nearly half of the participants (48.0%) initiated their first antenatal visit during the second trimester. Blood pressure monitoring was performed for all participants (100%), while weight monitoring and abdominal examination were conducted in 97.3% and 92.0% respectively. Iron and folic acid supplementation was provided to 94.7% of women and tetanus toxoid vaccination to 90.7%. Nutritional counselling and education regarding danger signs of pregnancy were provided to 85.3% and 73.3% respectively. Adequate antenatal care services were observed in 69.3% of participants. Adequacy of antenatal care showed significant association with maternal education (p = 0.001), gravidity (p = 0.042), trimester at first visit (p = 0.015), and number of antenatal visits (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Family physicians provide essential antenatal care services to the majority of pregnant women in a tertiary care setting. Early registration, regular antenatal visits, and improved maternal education may enhance the adequacy of antenatal care services and contribute to better maternal health outcomes.