Factors affecting the use of emergency obstetric care among pregnant women with antenatal bleeding

Objective: to investigate the factors that affect the use of emergency obstetric care services among pregnant women in Turkey with antenatal bleeding. Design: descriptive, cross-sectional study. Setting: Mersin Maternity and Child Hospital, Mersin, Turkey. Participants: 125 pregnant women who had been admitted to the emergency department for antenatal bleeding. Findings: advanced age, high level of education, lack of health insurance, receiving antenatal care, nuclear family structure and knowledge of the danger signs during pregnancy were found to affect the use of emergency obstetric care services among pregnant women with antenatal bleeding. Key conclusions: delays in seeking emergency obstetric care among pregnant women with antenatal bleeding are due to the difficulties faced by women when deciding whether or not to seek health care. Access to health services and health institutions themselves do not cause any delay in terms of provision of emergency obstetric care to pregnant women with antenatal bleeding. Implications for practice: pregnant women should be informed about the causes of antenatal bleeding, what to do in the case of bleeding, and the need to seek health care as soon as possible. In addition, midwives should inform families and pregnant women about the use of emergency medical services and the relevant procedures. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.