Abstract:
Purpose: Assessing the risks and preventable causes of maternal and neonatal mortality requires the
availability of good-quality antenatal information. In Indonesia, however, access to reliable information on
pregnancy-related results remains challenging. This research has proposed a research-based policy
recommendation to improve availability and accessibility to vital information on antenatal examinations.
Patients and Methods: Descriptive statistics were used to characterize midwives’ capabilities in routinely
gathering and recording antenatal information during pregnancy. The investigation was carried out among
19 midwives in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, from April 2016 to October 2017. Antenatal data on 4946
women (retrospective study) and 381 women (prospective study) have been accessed through a scientific
and technical training program.
Results: To date, lack of timely access to antenatal information has hampered the process of reducing
neonatal mortality in Indonesia. The post-training statistical analysis showed that the training has
significantly improved midwives’ scientific knowledge and technical abilities in providing more reliable data
on antenatal measurements.
Conclusion: Consistent scientific and technical training among midwives is required to update their
knowledge and skills, particularly those relating to documenting the results of antenatal examinations at
different stages of pregnancy and using that information to assess potential risks and identify necessary
interventions. This should also be followed by routine monitoring on the quality of collected antenatal data.
This can be one of the enabling actions to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals target in
reducing neonatal mortality in Indonesia.
Keywords: scientific and technical training, midwives, routine collection, reliable antenatal data, fetal well-
being
