Womens' opinions on antenatal care in developing countries: results of a study in Cuba, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Argentina

BACKGROUND: The results of a qualitative study carried out in four developing countries (Cuba, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Argentina) are presented. The study was conducted in the context of a randomised controlled trial to test the benefits of a new antenatal care protocol that reduced the number of visits to the doctor, rationalised the application of technology, and improved the provision of information to women in relation to the traditional protocol applied in each country. METHODS: Through focus groups discussions we were able to assess the concepts and expectations underlying women's evaluation of concepts and experiences of the care received in antenatal care clinics. 164 women participated in 24 focus groups discussion in all countries. RESULTS: Three areas are particularly addressed in this paper: a) concepts about pregnancy and health care, b) experience with health services and health providers, and c) opinions about the modified Antenatal Care (ANC) programme. In all three topics similarities were identified as well as particular opinions related to country specific social and cultural values. In general women have a positive view of the new ANC protocol, particularly regarding the information they receive. However, controversial issues emerged such as the reduction in the number of visits, particularly in Cuba where women are used to have 18 ANC visits in one pregnancy period. CONCLUSION: Recommendations to improve ANC services performance are being proposed. Any country interested in the application of a new ANC protocol should regard the opinion and acceptability of women towards changes

https://journals.vgtu.lt/index.php/MLA/article/view/5070

The aim of the research is to reconstruct the spatial apparatuses that are being used in Central Asia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. What our analysis would like to report, is closely related to the central hypothesis from which our thesis departs: the evidence, in this case, of a symbiotic relationship between the forms of the becoming-urban of these territories (Astana, the new Kazakh capital, is the main case study) and the post-Soviet social dystopia**; the fact that this dystopia is visible and understandable in primis through the lens of urban planning. Urban transformations, living standards, and spatial welfare are the main aspects that have been considered on a small scale. Transformations of territories, infrastructure development and the border apparatuses are, instead, the ones on a bigger scale. Santrauka Tyrimo tikslas – rekonstruoti erdvinius modelius, naudojamus Centrinėje Azijoje po Sovietų Sąjungos žlugimo. Nagrinėjamas Astanos, naujos Kazachijos sostinės, atvejis. Analizuojamas posovietinės socialinės distopijos reiškinys ir jo suvokimas per urbanistinio planavimo prizmę. Miesto transformacijos, gyvenimo standartai ir erdvinė gerovė yra pagrindiniai aspektai, kurie buvo detaliai analizuojami. Raktiniai žodžiai: Centrinė Azija, distopija, erdviniai modelia