Relation between prenatal care and the outcome of pregnancy in low-risk pregnancies

Introduction: Prenatal care (PNC) is a frequently used health service that has the potential to reduce the incidence of perinatal morbidity and mortality by treating medical conditions, identifying and reducing potential risks, and helping women to address behavioral factors that contribute to poor outcomes. Aim: To investigated the association between number of prenatal visits (PNV) and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was included all women admitted to Benghazi medical center for delivery over six months. Results: The study included 200 pregnant women, there were 123(61.5%) had adequate care and 77(38.5%) had inadequate care. The mean age of mothers with adequate was higher than age of mothers with inadequate care. Level of education was higher in adequate group than inadequate group. Gravida ≤ 5 of all patients was 81.5% and 18.5% had >5.  Gravida ≤ 5 was 69.3% had adequate care, and 30.7% had inadequate care, while gravid  >5, 27% of them had adequate care and 73% had had inadequate care, this difference was statistically significant. Booking for prenatal care 73.3% booked at 1st trimester, 14.5% at 2nd trimester m 6% at 3rd trimester and 6% not booked at all. Mothers booked at 1st trimester 77.6% of them had adequate care and 22.4% inadequate care, patients booked at 2nd trimester 31% of them and 69% had inadequate care. Patients booked at 3rd all of them had inadequate care, the difference was statistically significant. Mean number of visits in adequate care was higher than mean of inadequate. Early post partum hemorrhage and cervical tear were recorded more in inadequate group. Majority of babies were alive (90%), 9.5% were died .Neonatal death where higher in inadequate group. Recommendation: Future research is needed and need to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure quality of PNC.