Emmanuel Banchani1, Eric Y Tenkorang2. 1. Department of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada. 2. Department of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada. ytenko@yahoo.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Low birth weight is a public health issue that contributes to perinatal and infant mortality, especially in limited-resource settings, but there is limited understanding of the determinants of low birth weight and the contributions of quality antenatal care to maintaining healthy birth weights for newborns in such settings. This study aims at establishing links between birthweight and quality antenatal care in Ghana. METHODS: We used data collected from the recent 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey and applied complementary log-log models to investigate relationships between the quality of antenatal care (screening/diagnostic procedures, clinical interventions, type of health provider) and low birth weight in Ghana. RESULTS: The results reveal that compared to women who received low quality clinical interventions, those who received high quality interventions were significantly less likely to have a low birth weight baby. Similarly, women who made the recommended number of antenatal visits (at least eight) were significantly less likely to have a baby with low birth weight than women making fewer visits. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that while the number of antenatal visits is important, the quality of care received during such visits is equally relevant to reducing low birth weight in Ghana.
OBJECTIVES: Low birth weight is a public health issue that contributes to perinatal and infant mortality, especially in limited-resource settings, but there is limited understanding of the determinants of low birth weight and the contributions of quality antenatal care to maintaining healthy birth weights for newborns in such settings. This study aims at establishing links between birthweight and quality antenatal care in Ghana. METHODS: We used data collected from the recent 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey and applied complementary log-log models to investigate relationships between the quality of antenatal care (screening/diagnostic procedures, clinical interventions, type of health provider) and low birth weight in Ghana. RESULTS: The results reveal that compared to women who received low quality clinical interventions, those who received high quality interventions were significantly less likely to have a low birth weight baby. Similarly, women who made the recommended number of antenatal visits (at least eight) were significantly less likely to have a baby with low birth weight than women making fewer visits. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that while the number of antenatal visits is important, the quality of care received during such visits is equally relevant to reducing low birth weight in Ghana.
Authors: Maureen O'Leary; Karen Edmond; Sian Floyd; Sam Newton; Gyan Thomas; Sara L Thomas Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2017-05-26 Impact factor: 9.408
Authors: Seth Amponsah-Tabi; Edward T Dassah; Gerald O Asubonteng; Frank Ankobea; John J K Annan; Ebenezer Senu; Stephen Opoku; Ebenezer Opoku; Henry S Opare-Addo Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-10-12 Impact factor: 3.752