Abstract
A high-risk pregnancy is a pregnancy in which a maternal or fetal factor poses a threat to the health or life of the mother or fetus. Complications during pregnancy contribute significantly to perinatal morbidity and mortality. Maternal mortality is high throughout Africa, yet ratios are particularly high in Kenya. Clinical experience has shown that close ultrasound monitoring of high-risk pregnancies has the ability to reduce perinatal mortality.
Although ultrasound services are offered to pregnant mothers as part of the maternal healthcare package in Kenya, progress towards improving perinatal outcomes has been insufficient. However, since the quality of the ultrasound examination depends on the skills of the operator and the quality of the equipment, this technology can only contribute to the reversal of the perinatal mortality trend if training of professionals is undertaken and upgraded equipment is available.
Fetal Medicine is the specialized branch of medicine which deals with the management of high-risk pregnancies. This new and evolving specialty requires a multidisciplinary approach to confront various fetal conditions, with ultrasound surveillance being a key component in the management of pregnancies with detected complications. Consequently, training of the fetal medicine team is critical for the effective monitoring of a high-risk pregnancy. The question thus remained whether the antenatal services offered to the Kenyan public meet international standards in terms of specialized procedures, staff training and equipment quality.
To answer this question, the researcher embarked on a quantitative descriptive comparative study to assess the current use of ultrasound in the management of high-risk pregnancies in Kenya. The aim was to compare local findings with international standards in order to guide the development of protocols for best practice. Data was collected with the aid of questionnaires from selected participants in 31 public and private hospitals spread across the country. Participants comprised of sonographers, radiologists, obstetricians and nurses who perform antenatal scans. Participation was voluntary and all ethical principles were adhered to during the study...
M.Tech. (Radiography)