Feasibility and acceptance of group antenatal care in a multidisciplinary sickle cell clinic: A study at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana

Pregnant women who have sickle cell disease (SCD) need optimal care since they are more likely to experience pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality. In low- and middle-income countries, unfavorable pregnancy and neonatal outcomes are prevalent due to barriers in accessing antenatal care and obstetric care. Group antenatal care (G-ANC) has been shown to improve literacy among routine low-risk antenatal patients. However, little is known about G-ANC among pregnant women with SCD. This research aims to explain the feasibility and acceptability of G-ANC and adapt and pilot SCD-specific educational content in G-ANC settings among pregnant patients with SCD. The study site will be the multi-disciplinary SCD obstetrics clinic at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra, Ghana. The study design will be cross-sectional using a mixed-method approach. Study participants are patients attending ANC and staff healthcare multi-disciplinary SCD obstetrics clinic providers working at KBTH. The inclusion criteria include clients who go for antenatal care (ANC) at the multi-disciplinary SCD obstetrics clinic who are above 18 years old and staff who have worked in the multi-disciplinary SCD obstetrics clinic for more than 6 months and agree to participate in the study. The purposive sampling technique will be used to recruit participants who will be made to sign an informed consent. Participants who agree will be put in homogenous groups based on their parity, gestational age, language and educational attainment among other relevant indicators for the focus group discussions and G-ANC sessions. Quantitative data will be analyzed using the R statistical tool, and the qualitative data will be analyzed using MAXQDA version 4 software. The research will show the feasibility and acceptability of G-ANC among pregnant women with SCD and the adaption and pilot of the top of SCD-specific educational content at the multi-disciplinary SCD obstetrics clinic at KBTH.