Urine Pregnancy Testing and Access to Care in South Africa
Author Information
Author(s): Morroni Chelsea, Moodley Jennifer
Primary Institution: University of Cape Town
Hypothesis
How does urine pregnancy testing affect the timing of presentation for antenatal care and abortion services?
Conclusion
Early presentation for antenatal and abortion services can be improved by making urine pregnancy testing more accessible in public clinics.
Supporting Evidence
- Obtaining a urine pregnancy test independently was associated with a decrease in gestational age at presentation.
- Women who were sent to obtain a pregnancy test from a pharmacy presented later for care.
- Most women were unaware that a urine pregnancy test could detect pregnancy as early as two weeks after a missed period.
Takeaway
This study shows that getting a pregnancy test early helps women see a doctor sooner for pregnancy care, which is really important for their health.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted among women presenting for antenatal care and abortion at public clinics in Cape Town.
Potential Biases
Providers had negative views about conducting pregnancy tests for teenagers, which may affect service delivery.
Limitations
The study only included women who reached public sector services and did not account for those who did not return after being sent away.
Participant Demographics
Participants were young women with a median age of 24 years, including a significant number of teenagers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Confidence Interval
-5.2; -0.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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