Abstract
M.Cur. (Advanced Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science)
The aim of this study was to explore and describe antenatal education needs of low-risk
pregnant clients receiving basic antenatal care in the public health setting, in a health care
facility in Tshwane.
Very little antenatal education is being given to pregnant clients receiving basic antenatal
care in the public health setting, in contrast to antenatal education provided to women who
make use of private health care facilities during their pregnancy and attend private antenatal
classes. The need for antenatal education of clients receiving care in the public health
setting may well be intensified due to the often marginalised circumstances from which these
clients originate and a lack of informal learning opportunities on childbirth, coupled with the
possibly aggravating influence of cultural practices which may be harmful to both mother and
child.
Not having access to this education may negatively affect the pregnancy, birth, and
postnatal period. The lack of antenatal education often causes woman to unnecessarily seek
medical help at already overloaded clinics, which could be prevented if the women received
proper antenatal education. The opposite is also true: many women do not seek medical
help in time because of a lack of antenatal education.
Through a qualitative study, antenatal educational needs of clients receiving basic antenatal
care in a community health setting in Tshwane within the public health setting, were explored
and described. The specific needs which should be addressed were identified by the clients
through individual interviews, as well as by the health care workers caring for them, through
focus group interviews. Both the interviews and focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed
and analysed using Tesch’s steps to qualitative data analysis. An independent coder was
used to ensure trustworthiness. This analysed data was compared to the relevant available
literature and was found to be corresponding.
The identified needs were then utilised to make recommendations for midwifery practice to
meet the antenatal educational needs, including a proposed programme to be presented in
the public health setting in Tshwane to clients receiving basic antenatal care. The
programme suggests three education classes which can be presented, addressing all the
needs identified through the study. Recommendations for midwifery education and further
research were additionally presented.