The present study describes the use of a home-based antenatal card in
a sample of 120 consecutive women who were giving birth at a large tea
ching hospital in the city of Leon, Nicaragua. Information was obtaine
d by interviews with the women before leaving hospital and all data on
their antenatal cards and regarding delivery outcome were analysed. A
ntenatal care attendance by the 120 women was 93 per cent, and 86 per
cent had received an antenatal card. However, only in 33 per cent of t
he cases had the card been adequately used: inappropriate handling in
hospital was the commonest cause of non-use. Suggestions for a revisio
n of the card are presented in the companion article, in which we also
stress the importance of continuous training of the health personnel.