Abstract
BackgroundTimely initiation of antenatal care can avoid pregnancy related problems and save lives of mothers and babies. In developing nations, however, only half of the pregnant mothers receive the recommended number of antenatal care visits, and start late in their pregnancy. Thus, the study was conducted to assess the magnitude of timely initiation of antenatal care and factors associated with the timing of antenatal care attendance in Axum in which studies regarding this issue are lacking.MethodsAn institution based cross-sectional study mixed with qualitative approach was conducted. A total of 386 pregnant women were selected using systematic sampling technique for the quantitative study. In addition, 18 participants were selected purposively for the qualitative part. The quantitative data were collected using structured interviewer administered questionnaire while the qualitative data were collected using an open-ended interview guide. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and the qualitative data were analyzed using Atlas software. Multi-variable logistic regression was used to control the effect of confounders.ResultsThe magnitude of timely attendance of antenatal care was 27.5% (95% CI: 23–32%). Unintended pregnancy (AOR = 2.87; CI 95%: 1.23–6.70), maternal knowledge (AOR = 2.75; CI 95%: 1.07–7.03), educational status of the women (AOR = 2.62; CI 95%: 1.21–5.64), perceived timing of antenatal care (AOR = 3.45; CI 95%: 1.61–7.36), problem in current pregnancy (AOR = 3.56; CI 95%: 1.52–8.48) and advice from significant others (AOR =2.33; CI 95%: 1.10–4.94) were found significantly associated with timely booking of antenatal care.ConclusionThe magnitude of timely attendance of antenatal care is low. Educational status, maternal knowledge, unintended pregnancy, problem in current pregnancy, perceived timing of antenatal care, and advise from significant others were the significant factors for timing of antenatal care. Therefore more effort should be done to increase the knowledge of mothers about importance of antenatal care and timely ante natal care booking.
Highlights
Initiation of antenatal care can avoid pregnancy related problems and save lives of mothers and babies
Socio demographic characteristics of respondents All the 386 pregnant women were participated in this study making the response rate of 100%
This study showed advice from significant others to be a significant factor for timing of antenatal care (ANC) booking; those respondents who were informed to start ANC were about twice more likely to book timely than those who were not informed and it is in line with the studies done in Arba Minch, Addis Ababa and Gondar in which the participants who were not advised to start ANC before they start were more likely to book late [11, 21, 26]
Summary
Initiation of antenatal care can avoid pregnancy related problems and save lives of mothers and babies. Only half of the pregnant mothers receive the recommended number of antenatal care visits, and start late in their pregnancy. First timing of antenatal care (ANC) attendance is defined as the first-time pregnant women come to antenatal clinics to get care from health care professionals. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that pregnant women in developing countries to get at least four ANC visits, and to initiate early ANC follow up. Initiation of ANC is crucial for early detection of pregnancy related problems and adverse pregnancy outcomes like low birth weight, still birth, intra uterine fetal death and other complications, most of the mothers initiate ANC late [1, 2]. 99%, of those deaths occur in developing countries: sub-Saharan Africa alone account for about 66%, followed by Southern Asia 22% [3, 4]
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