DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2020.v08i09.043

Pages: 2200-2204

Introduction: Antenatal care (ANC) is a routinely checkup service provided to a women during her pregnancy. Mainly, it aims to ensure the health of both the mother and the fetus and to reduce maternal mortality rate. It is evidenced that, ANC is one of the four pillars of Safe Motherhood Initiative; moreover, circulation of it begins from 18th century and was developed in the 19th century. Providing necessary information and advices to maintain maternal health, safe childbirth, postnatal recovery to a pregnant women and her family is the target of ANC. Aim of the study: This study aims to observe that routine ANC (Antenatal Care) can save thousands of maternal lives. Material & Methods: We carried out an observatory study in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SSMC & Mitford Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from July 2015 to June 2017. Our aim was to observe the association of maternal mortality with routine ANC. A total number of 48 cases were enrolled in this study using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected in a pre-designed data collection sheet from the records of maternal death cases of Mitford Hospital after taking permission from the authority. Necessary data were collected from admission register, case files and death certificates using a structured questionnaire. Results: Out of 48 patients, the mean age was 25.42 ± 3.89 years. Most of the patients (45.83%) belonged to lower middle class and only 6.25% were from upper class family. 33.33% patients had hypertension, 22.92% patients arrived in hospital with delay and both unsafe abortion and cardiac diseases were in 10.42% patients which were all statistically significant (p=<0.05). Among the 48 study patients 40.0% had caesarean section, 20.0% vaginal delivery and maternal deaths occurred as undelivered in 11.0%. 46.0% of deaths occurred within 24 hours of hospital admission and 42.0% patients died after 48 hours. Conclusion: ANC was observed only in 6.25% of ...........