Women’s satisfaction with preconception care and childbearing counseling services: A cross-sectional study

Background: Women’s satisfaction with fertility counseling and preconception care is a key indicator of the quality of reproductive health services. Objectives: This study aimed to assess satisfaction levels and their determinants among women of reproductive age attending urban Comprehensive Health Service Centers in Shahroud, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to December ۲۰۲۲ involving ۳۱۹ women selected through multistage sampling from all ۱۰ urban health centers in Shahroud County. Data were collected immediately after preconception care visits using a validated ۳۵-item questionnaire covering two domains: childbearing counseling (۱۱ items, score range ۱۱–۵۵) and preconception care (۲۴ items, score range ۲۴–۱۲۰). Scores were converted to percentages and categorized as low (<۵۱%), moderate (۵۱–۷۵%), or high (>۷۵%) satisfaction. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version ۲۲. Results: Mean satisfaction scores were ۲۹.۵۹ (۸.۳۴) for childbearing counseling (۵۳.۸%) and ۵۶.۵۹ (۱۵.۶۷) for preconception care (۴۷.۲%), indicating moderate to low satisfaction overall (total score: ۸۶.۱۸ (۲۰.۷۶), ۴۹.۲%). Highest satisfaction in counseling was for “husband’s presence during counseling” (۳۶.۱% strongly agreed), and lowest was for “education was sufficient and understandable” (۰.۶% strongly agreed). In preconception care, the highest disagreement was with “ease of locating the service site” (۶۴.۹%), and the lowest strong agreement was for “midwife’s behavior was polite” (۱.۳%). Key deficiencies included inadequate education, poor communication, unclear risk explanation, and structural barriers. Community health worker accessibility was noted as a relative strength. Conclusion: Low satisfaction primarily stemmed from poor communication, insufficient education, and infrastructural challenges. Enhancing provider communication, educational quality, privacy, and multidisciplinary access is essential.

کلیدواژه ها:

Preconception Care ، Childbearing Counseling ، Reproductive Health Services ، Quality of Health Care