The factors affecting gestational age at booking in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Antenatal care is an important part of safe motherhood and plays a major role in maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity reduction. Thus early antenatal bookings contribute immensely to good pregnancy outcome. Objective: To ascertain the factors that determine gestational age at booking in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and how these factors affect timing of seeking antenatal care in the hospital. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 302 consenting consecutive pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic in LUTH from October 2009 to April 2010. Results: The mean age of the women was 31.5 ± 5 years (range 17-46 years) and the mean gestational age at booking was 18.9 ± 7.8 weeks (range 6-40 weeks). The majority of women, booked at 20 completed weeks or less were 185 (61.3%), while 117 (38.7%) booked after 20 completed weeks. The main reason for early booking for most patients was physician referral in 36.8%, while 27.6% perceived benefit by husband, partner or patient was the reason for early booking. The main reason for late booking was late referral from the previous hospitals where they initially booked. Conclusion: Most of the women booked early did so as a result of their doctor's referral due to complications in pregnancy. Late booking was mainly due to late referrals from other hospitals.