Pregnant Cards information and medical records of primary care on prenatal care - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

Pregnant Cards information and medical records of primary care on prenatal care |

PURPOSE:

To determine the agreement between the information on pregnant cards and on primary care medical records about prenatal assistance in the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.

METHODS:

A population study of 360 puerperal women living in this city was interviewed at three hospitals where the cards were copied. Prenatal care data were collected by reviewing the medical records at the city health unit. The information was collected, processed, and submitted to Kappa, Adjusted Kappa, and McNemar tests to check agreement and tendency to disagreement between the cards and the medical records.

RESULTS:

The levels of agreement within prenatal care were predominantly moderate (Kappa=0.4-0.6). There was a higher tendency to keep records of appointments on the cards (McNemar=22.3; p-value<0.01). Records of supplementation with folic acid and ferrous sulphate were kept more often on the medical records (McNemar=70.8 and 69.8, respectively; p-value<0.01). The tetanus vaccination coverage was about 50%. Clinical and obstetric procedures and laboratory tests were primarily recorded on the card.

CONCLUSION:

The medical records of primary care were underused as a tool for communication among health professionals, highlighting a precarious record keeping. The results suggest that thought be given to guarantee that the minimum procedures established by the Guidelines of Maternal and Infant Health are followed, and also to the importance of clinical record keeping in health services, since there is variation depending on the source of information.