Professional Needs of Prenatal Care Providers: A Narrative Review

Prenatal care is a good opportunity for providers to support pregnant women in providing maternal, fetal and family health. To achieve this, prenatal care providers should have adequate and comprehensive capabilities. The purpose of this study is to review studies which have assessed the professional needs of prenatal care providers in Iran. In this narrative review conducted, using the keywords related to professional needs of prenatal care providers, Iranian published studies in Persian and English journals were searched in scientific databases of Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, IranMedex, SID and Magiran from 1997 to 2017. The articles which were not consistent with the purpose of study and were case report or letter to editor articles were excluded. Out of 437 searched articles, 16 were selected which related to the professional needs of pregnancy care providers. In this research, 16 interventional and descriptive were reviewed. The result of the articles showed professional needs of prenatal care providers are presented in the knowledge and practice, communication skills, professional rules and regulations and religious orders domains. Prenatal care providers had needs related to knowledge and practice, communication skills, professional rules and regulations and religious orders. In order to meet these needs and provide more effective care, appropriate educational planning and proper implementation are recommended.