Evaluation of the quality of Prenatal Care in Brazil

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to investigate the characteristics of the structure of the health units and the management and assistance processes of Prenatal Care (PNC) within the scope of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Brazil, in municipalities that joined the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care (PMAQ-AB). This is a normative evaluation with data from 16.566 family health teams that joined the PMAQ-AB. A logical model of the PNC components was elaborated, composed of the analysis, management and care dimensions, and 42 criteria of structure and process and their respective standards. The structure of the basic units and the actions provided by the teams did not comply with the majority of the standards, highlighting the existence of structural barriers, unavailability of medicines and essential tests, problems in the provision of the cast of assistance actions, involving individual attention and clinical care, as well as health promotion and collective and domiciliary actions offered. It is concluded that, despite the high coverage of PNC and its institutionalization in PHC services, problems persist that must be addressed by governmental initiatives that guarantee comprehensive attention and quality in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle and that have repercussions on the improvement of health indicators of maternal and child health.