OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the professionals involved in monitoring pregnancies and the quality of antenatal care in the counties of Berguedà and the Bages (central Catalonia). DESIGN: Observational and descriptive. SETTING: The data were obtained after the birth by interviewing the new mother. PARTICIPANTS: The 171 women who gave birth during February and March 1994 in the hospitals of the counties under study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 95% of the women had attended for a check-up during the first three months. 44% had the pregnancy card; and 44% also attended motherhood classes. 34% of the pregnant women underwent some kind of antenatal diagnostic test for Chromosomopathies. The number of ecographs ranged from 2 to 12, with an average of 4.7. The new mother identified as professionals involved in monitoring her pregnancy: the gynaecologist (99%), the midwife (32%), the General Practitioner (22%) and other specialists (1%). CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of variables (weight, number of attendances, attendance in first three months, identification of risk) fall within the recommendations of the different quality criteria of the procedures of the Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics Society (SEGO). However the number of ecographies varied a lot; there was low attendance at motherhood classes and low identification by the new mother of the midwife as a professional involved.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the professionals involved in monitoring pregnancies and the quality of antenatal care in the counties of Berguedà and the Bages (central Catalonia). DESIGN: Observational and descriptive. SETTING: The data were obtained after the birth by interviewing the new mother. PARTICIPANTS: The 171 women who gave birth during February and March 1994 in the hospitals of the counties under study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 95% of the women had attended for a check-up during the first three months. 44% had the pregnancy card; and 44% also attended motherhood classes. 34% of the pregnant women underwent some kind of antenatal diagnostic test for Chromosomopathies. The number of ecographs ranged from 2 to 12, with an average of 4.7. The new mother identified as professionals involved in monitoring her pregnancy: the gynaecologist (99%), the midwife (32%), the General Practitioner (22%) and other specialists (1%). CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of variables (weight, number of attendances, attendance in first three months, identification of risk) fall within the recommendations of the different quality criteria of the procedures of the Spanish Gynaecology and Obstetrics Society (SEGO). However the number of ecographies varied a lot; there was low attendance at motherhood classes and low identification by the new mother of the midwife as a professional involved.