Keeping adolescents enrolled in school might reduce their risk of involvement in pregnancy in the Ejisu-Juabeng district of Ghana.

Background Antenatal care (ANC) is imperative to decreasing adverse pregnancy outcomes and their related maternal mortality. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, increases in ANC coverage have not correlated well with improved maternal and fetal outcomes suggesting the quality of ANC received could be the missing link. This study assessed ANC quality and its effect on adverse pregnancy outcomes among women who delivered at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among women who delivered at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital within the study period. Women were selected through systematic sampling and interviewed using a pretested structured questionnaire as well as review of their medical records. Data were collected on their sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics, care provided during ANC and delivery outcomes. Categorical variables were compared using the χ2 test. Factors associated with quality of ANC and adverse pregnancy outcomes were assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression to generate crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and GraphPad Prism. P-values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results 950 women were recruited into the study with mean age of 30.39±5.57 years. Less than one-tenth (7.6%) of the women received good quality ANC, 63.4% had average quality ANC, and 29.0% received poor quality ANC. Increasing educational level and initiating ANC in the first trimester [aOR 0.2; 95%CI 0.08–0.68; p<0.001] increased the odds of receiving good quality ANC while being unemployed decreased the odds of receiving good quality ANC [aOR 0.3; 95% CI 0.12–0.65; p = 0.003]. Receiving poor and average quality of ANC were significantly associated with increased likelihood of developing anaemia during pregnancy, preeclampsia with severe features or delivering a low birth weight baby. Conclusion Most women did not receive good quality ANC. High quality ANC should be provided while the women are encouraged to comply with the recommendations during ANC.

Inadequate postpartum family planning counseling and referrals during maternity care were recorded, suggesting that a comprehensive educational intervention is required to improve uptake.

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Aims were to assess the prevalence of Papanicolaou (Pap) abnormalities found with cervical cancer screening in Agogo and Nkawie, communities in the Ashanti region of Ghana, and compare the correlation between Pap readings performed at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, and at the Mayo Clinic cytology laboratory in Rochester, MN. Demographic data was collected and Pap tests were performed on women recruited for screening in the communities of Agogo (n=119) and Nkawie (n=255). The Pap tests were assessed by pathology laboratory staff at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Mayo Clinic. There was a significant difference in prevalence of abnormal cytology between the sites with a rate of 12.6% in Agogo and 3.5% in Nkawie (P=0.016). Demographic differences were noted in education level (P<0.001), occupation (P<0.001), religion (P=0.002), and marital status (P<0.001). The Cohen correlation coefficient between the two pathology departments interpreting samples was 0.185, which indicates a significant degree of discordance (P<0.001). Currently Ghana does not have a national cervical cancer screening program. Identifying higher risk communities and patients as a priority for screening may be useful with limited resources. Accurate identification of Pap abnormalities is necessary to implement an effective screening program.