Training Manual for Preventive Malaria - Ministry of Health

UNIT 2A
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FOCUSED ANTENATAL CARE
This unit describes the components of Focused Antenatal Care (ANC) for pregnant women in
malaria-endemic countries including Ghana, there are guidelines on how it can be organized
and delivered most effectively.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
1. Explain what focused ANC is
2. Describe the three main goals of Focused ANC.
3. Explain the frequency and timing of ANC visits.
TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
• Lecturette
• Group discussion
INTRODUCTION
ANTENATAL CARE: Traditional Approach
The traditional approach to antenatal care, based on European Models developed in the early
1900s, assumes that more frequent ANC is better and thus quantity of care is emphasized rather
than the essential elements of care.
To a large extent, developing countries have adopted the antenatal care (ANC) model of
developed countries with little or no adjustment for endemic diseases or epidemiological
considerations. Other challenges with the traditional approach were that visits are often
irregular, with long waiting time, little feedback to (or real communication with) mothers and
little education to mothers on the pregnancy.
For some time now, ANC has become routine and ritualistic. It focuses on risk assessment and
not detection and management pregnancy-related complications.
Findings of evidence-based research on practices of routine care provided during ANC, has
been found to be wasteful or misleading. As a result of this there is the need for a transition in
our ANC paradigm.
The key to effective ANC is to use our powers of observation to really look at the condition of
each pregnant woman, using simple and effective tests, and treating existing problems on the
spot rather than trying to predict who is likely to have a complication.
1 Adapted from: Gomez P and B Kinzie. October 2002. Basic Maternal and Newborn Care: Section Two: Antenatal
Care. Draft.
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