WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience

less education but not among those with more
education (49). Therefore, providing antenatal food
supplements could help to address inequalities by
improving maternal nutritional status and increasing
ANC coverage among disadvantaged women.
Acceptability
Qualitative evidence indicates that women in a
variety of settings tend to view ANC as a source
of knowledge and information and that they
generally appreciate any advice (including dietary
or nutritional) that may lead to a healthy baby and
a positive pregnancy experience (high confidence in
the evidence) (22). It also suggests that women may
be less likely to engage with health services if advice
is delivered in a hurried or didactic manner (high
confidence in the evidence) (22). Therefore, these
types of interventions are more likely to be acceptable
if the interventions are delivered in an unhurried
and supportive way, which may also facilitate better
engagement with ANC services. Qualitative evidence
on health-care providers’ views of ANC suggests
that they may be keen to offer general health-care
advice and specific pregnancy-related information
(low confidence in the evidence) but they sometimes
feel they do not have the appropriate training and
lack the resources and time to deliver the service in
the informative, supportive and caring manner that
women want (high confidence in the evidence) (45).
Feasibility
In a number of LMIC settings, providers feel that
a lack of resources may limit implementation of
recommended interventions (high confidence in the
evidence) (45).
Chapter 3. Evidence and <strong>recommendations</strong> 19