Journal of Women's Health Care
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-0420
ISSN: 2167-0420
Mabiala-Maye
University Of Nebraska Medical Center USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: jwh
Introduction: Healthcare inequity remains a cause of great concern in the Republic of Congo. The impact on maternal health, particularly in rural areas, refl ects this. Objectives: Assess the quality of maternal health in Congolese northern rural areas to provide an epidemiological profi le and illustrate the health and well-being of rural pregnant women to inspire further research in the area. Patients and methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study from January to July 2020 at the Health Center of Bétou in Likouala, Congo. All pregnant women who received their fi rst prenatal consultation were included. Data were collected from the registers and processed using MS Excel®. Results: A total of 2,897 women were included in the fi rst prenatal consultation. Of these, 1,572 came at least to the third prenatal consultation (54.26%), 1,638 (56.54%) for birth. Pregnancies were pathological in 13.77% of cases (n=399). Sexually transmitted infections were found in 12.7% (n=368) of pregnant women. HIV test coverage was 11.63% (n=337) and positive cases were found in 0.37% (n=11). The cesarean section rate was 3.69% (n=107). Maternal and neonatal deaths represented 696/100,000 (n=9) and 23.4/1000 (n=22) live births, respectively. Conclusion: This work shows high morbidity and mortality among pregnant women in Bétou, low coverage of HIV testing, and low participation in prenatal consultations services. The availability of qualifi ed human and material resources is a challenge.
Dr. Grace is a dynamic, passionate, and hardworking medical doctor with excellent interpersonal skills motivated to improve maternal and child health in rural areas. From her academic background to her professional experience, she believes that her appropriate skills and qualities can help improve the healthcare system in rural Africa.