Utilization and satisfaction with prenatal care services.

This study was conducted in St. Petersburg, Russia, under the auspices of the World Health Organization, Healthy Cities Project, and the St. Petersburg Healthy City Project. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predict use of prenatal care services (utilization) and satisfaction with the services. A high maternal mortality rate and low attendance at prenatal clinics brought this health care issue to the forefront of the St. Petersburg Healthy City Project agenda. Aday and Andersen's conceptual model was used to investigate use of and satisfaction with prenatal care services. Several characteristics of pregnant women were found to influence early use of prenatal care services and women's level of satisfaction. Need had no influence in explaining when women started prenatal care or satisfaction with the services. Lastly, there was no relationship between early use of prenatal care services and women's level of satisfaction with the services.