A Scoping Review to Enhance Antenatal Care Delivery and Seeking Behaviors for Adolescent Pregnant Girls

Objective:

A Scoping Review to Enhance Antenatal Care Delivery and Seeking Behaviors for Adolescent Pregnant Girls

About Project 
The project addresses the critical health and nutrition needs of pregnant adolescent girls in Pakistan, where maternal and newborn health indicators are notably poor. High neonatal mortality rates, low birthweight prevalence, and widespread micronutrient deficiencies underscore the urgency of improving antenatal care (ANC). With a significant portion of adolescent pregnancies occurring in low- and middle-income countries, including Pakistan, the project focuses on enhancing the quality and accessibility of ANC for this vulnerable group. The transition from iron-folic acid to multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) highlights the need for research to adapt ANC services to better support pregnant adolescents.

Services Provided:

Scoping Research on Antenatal Care Practices for Pregnant Adolescent Girls: Conducted a comprehensive desk review aimed at enhancing antenatal care-seeking behaviors and delivery practices for pregnant adolescent girls in Pakistan. This research focused on the transition from iron-folic acid supplements to multiple micronutrient supplements within the routine public antenatal care system. Key areas analyzed include service delivery mechanisms, health system capacities, stakeholder engagement, and the impact of supplementation during pregnancy.

 

  1. Inception Meeting with the NI Team:
  • Introduction and orientation of the assignment.
  • Developing a common understanding regarding the Terms of Reference (ToRs).
  • Discussion on methodology, sample size, and data collection approaches.
  • Planning the rollout, key milestones, and submission dates for deliverables.
  • Assigning focal points for communication and coordination.
  • Gathering requirements and relevant documents from stakeholders.
  1. Development and Submission of Inception Report:
  • Revising research methodology, sampling methodology, and work plan based on NI team’s guidance.
  • Producing a detailed inception report outlining the finalized research framework, methodology, and implementation plan.
  1. Secondary Research/Desk Review:
  • Conducting detailed secondary research to understand the issue, develop key research questions, and review relevant documents and reports related to antenatal care-seeking behaviors in Pakistan.
  1. Development and Testing of Data Collection Tools:
  • Designing data collection tools and guidelines for Key Informant Interviews (KIIs).
  • Translating tools into Urdu language for ease of understanding.
  • Training interviewers on the designed tools and conducting pilot testing.
  • Refining tools based on challenges faced during pilot testing.
  1. Stakeholder Mapping:
  • Identifying and assessing stakeholders’ level of influence and interest in the project.
  • Categorizing stakeholders and creating a visual representation using a stakeholder map.
  • Developing tailored engagement strategies for each stakeholder group.
  1. Key Informant Interviews:
  • Selecting key informants based on expertise and relevance to the research topic.
  • Conducting in-person interviews to explore experiences, perceptions, and insights regarding health-seeking behaviors and service delivery.
  • Conducting thematic analysis and qualitative data analysis using NVivo software.
  1. Report Writing & PowerPoint Presentation:
  • Developing a narrative report explaining key findings, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations.
  • Creating a PowerPoint presentation based on key findings.
  • Presenting key findings to the NI team and incorporating feedback.

Finalizing and submitting the scoping desk review report for approval.

Project Team:

Ms. Saima Sadaf
Mr. Awais Bhatti
Dr. Soha Shafqat