Abstract
D.Cur.
Every woman and unborn child has the right to quality antenatal care.
Concern is expressed regarding the quality_ of antenatal care currently
delivered in South Africa, but due to a lack of formal written standards for
antenatal care, this concern cannot be addressed. In view of this, the aim of
this study was to generate valid standards for antenatal care.
A contextual, exploratory and descriptive research design had been used to
complete the research in two phases. An extensive literature exploration
was done during the first phase (Development phases 1 and 2) in order to
describe a conceptual framework for antenatal care. Concept standards
were formulated within this framework and refined with the assistance of a
small group of experts. Following changes made to it, it was prepared for
validation. The content validity of the standards was tested at national level (validation
phase). The concept standards were sent to a group of domain experts in
the form of a questionnaire. A purposive, non-randomised and stratified
sample had been drawn. The participants were expected to evaluate the
content validity of the standards and accompanying criteria and to propose
amendments should they deem it to be necessary. A content validity index
was calculated for each standard and criterion. A mean of 3,5 and a
standard deviation of. 1,0 were regarded as sufficient proof of the content
validity of each item. Thereafter, the standards were tested in the clinical practice on the basis of three case studies. Following the necessary
adjustment and reformulation, the final standards were formulated.
This research does not only make a valuable contribution towards the
midwife's practice in the-form of valid standards for antenatal care, but also
contributes towards extension of the theoretical basis of the subject
discipline by means of the comprehensive description of a conceptual
framework for antenatal care by the midwife.