In particular, ANC clinics act as a key entry-point for implementing nutrition and health educational interventions that promote preventive health behaviours to improve maternal and neonatal health through better knowledge, attitudes and practices. Studies conducted in
Turkey, Pakistan and Laos provide evidence to support the role of ANC in improving health knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among women who utilize the service [7]. In the implementation and evaluation of a community-based ANC education programme in Istanbul [8], women in the ANC education group were reported to be more likely to initiate breastfeeding
within the first two hours after delivery, bring infants for check-up within seven days after birth and to implement
family planning measures at three months after birth,
compared to the control group. Similarly, in a cross-
sectional survey in Islamabad, Pakistan, Alam and col-
leagues showed that women attending ANC clinics were
more likely to recognize signs of a difficult pregnancy, to
realize the importance of eating a healthy diet, and to
indicate tetanus immunization uptake, compared to
their non-attending counterparts [9]. And in rural Laos,
women who had received ANC were more likely to
utilize health services at delivery and had a greater
mean knowledge score regarding obstetric care com-
pared to the women who had not received any ante-
natal care [10].