Institutional-based study on the knowledge of appropriate timing, time and predictors of initiation of antenatal care in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is a specialized preventive health-care model that averts, detects, and promptly manages pregnancy- and nonpregnancy-related complications. These benefits are best harnessed when women initiate ANC early. Objectives: The study aimed to assess the knowledge of pregnant women on the ideal time to initiate ANC, determine their gestational age at antenatal booking, and examine the factors that influence it. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire-based survey carried out at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Southwestern Nigeria. A total of 400 pregnant women who attended antenatal booking clinic and who gave informed consent were recruited by consecutive sampling. Participants' knowledge on timing of ANC, their gestational age at booking, and factors influencing their timing of booking were assessed using structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: Majority (88.9%) of respondents had good knowledge of the ideal time to initiate ANC even though 60.3% still started ANC late, commonly in the 2nd trimester with a mean gestational age at booking of 17.0 ± 7.2 weeks. Among the several factors associated with early antenatal booking, belief that early initiation of ANC is beneficial was the only significant independent factor that predicted early initiation of ANC (odds ratio = 5.06, P = 0.03). Conclusion: The incidence of early initiation of ANC is low among pregnant Nigerian women despite apparently good knowledge of the ideal time to initiate ANC. Appropriate intervention strategy that will translate knowledge to practice is advocated.