Evaluating a community based intervention to enhance timely and adequate antenatal care among women in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes
- Shuby Puthussery(PI),
- Pei-Ching Tseng(Research Fellow/PDRA),
- Tara Pauley(Research Fellow/PDRA)
- ,
- Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Project: Research
Project status
Not started
Description
Antenatal care is provided to pregnant women by skilled healthcare professionals and is identified as an effective way to promote positive health outcomes for both the mother and babies. Timely and equitable antenatal care access supports early detection of risks, management of pregnancy-related complications and prevention of maternal and perinatal mortality. However, disparities in uptake of antenatal care early during pregnancy persist. This research aims to implement and evaluate a community-based intervention, co-produced with women, maternity care providers and community champions trained in maternity care, in ethnically diverse, socially disadvantaged areas in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. The project will seek to understand the perspectives and experiences of women regarding the factors that hinder early access to antenatal care in the three areas. Additionally, the project will identify community-based solutions through co-production approach to enhance timely and equitable access of antenatal care services.
Layman's description
Care during pregnancy is essential for the well-being of mother and babies. However, some women find it difficult to receive pregnancy care on time. We worked with women in Luton, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes to identify the factors that delayed their use of care during pregnancy. We also discussed with women living in the three areas to provide practical ideas that would support receiving pregnancy care as early as possible to mothers in their regions. As a team, women provided with several helpful suggestions to improve awareness and early booking of pregnancy care.
Project Information
Project Type
ResearchProject Managed By
Project Collaborators
Status
Not startedKey Findings
The key findings from phase 1: qualitative study showed system-level barriers like complex ANC pathways, limited awareness about UK maternity healthcare system, long waiting hours, rushed appoitnments, language and logistic barriers as factors hindering women from early access to antenatal care. Conversely, presence of friendly and respectful health care professionals, continuity of care and supportive family were regarded as factors facilitating timely antenatal care access. Further, the findings from phase 1 guided the design of phase 2 which involved developing intervention using co-production. From phase 2 through co-production workshops, community-based solutions such as having a community champion, peer-support, midwife outreach programmes and culturally sensitive mutli-lingual information were identified to enhance timely and equitable access of antenatal care.The current phase 3 is intervention implementation and evaluation. This phase is ongoing and after data analysis the key findings of this phase will be presented.
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 Good Health and Well
SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals