Experience and Perceptions on Preterm Births among Women Attending ANC Clinic at Kisumu County Hospital, Kenya.

Abstract

Preterm birth is one of the main causes of neonatal death, and it is now the second leading cause of death after pneumonia in children under the age of five. Kenya is estimated to have 12.3% preterm births and 22 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births. It is important to explore the experience and perceptions on preterm births among women attending ANC clinic. A survey was conducted at Kisumu County hospital, Kenya. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and In Depth Interview (IDI) were used to collect data on preterm birth (PTB) experiences. The four-step iterative process of qualitative data analysis to generate the final interpretation was employed. This study established that mothers are aware of the gestation period (9 months or 39 weeks) in pregnancy, are able to monitor how close they are to the Estimated Date of Delivery (EDD). Mothers with history of PTB or with twin/multiple births had a high risk of premature delivery. Information on PTB was not provided during ANC. ANC services should be expanded to be effective for the detection, treatment or prevention of conditions associated with PTB (serious morbidity or mortality). There is need to investigate the capacity of health care providers to provide quality ANC health information and services with regard to PTB.