Attending Antenatal Care Clinic Research Articles

Health Services Related Factors Influencing Utilization of Antenatal Care (ANC) Services among Expectant Women in Turkana County, Kenya

Antenatal Care (ANC) is a strategic intervention for promoting safe motherhood and reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. A woman dies every minute due to pregnancy-related complications whereas developing countries account for 99% of the global maternal deaths. Low utilization of antenatal care services remains a key indicator of maternal mortality and morbidity in some parts of Kenya like Turkana County where the geographical terrain is complex as well other social and cultural implications that pose significant risks to pregnant women. The purpose of the study was to assess health service-related factors influencing the utilization antenatal care (ANC) services among expectant women in Turkana County, Kenya. The study was carried out in Lodwar County Referral Hospital (LCRH) among pregnant women attending ANC clinic at LCRH and nurses working in the Maternal and Child Health department. Structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data involving 297 women and selected using simple random sampling while qualitative data involving 3 nurses working in maternal and child health department was selected purposively and collected using in-depth interviews. Majority of the respondents (48%) were aged 25-35 years, were married (73%), Christians (83%), and had primary education (51%). Quality of services was significantly associated with the utilization of antenatal care services (χ2=12.950; df=6; p=0.044*). There was no significant association between ANC utilization and the means of transport to seek ANC services (χ2=3.411; df=4; p=0.179) and where ANC services are accessed (χ2=1.590; df=4; p=0.452).Women’s attitude towards the ANC services and good communication between the health staff and clients also influence women to seek antenatal services. The study recommends the need to train health workers providing antenatal care services not only on clinical skills but also on client-provider interaction in order to ensure quality and professional delivery of ANC services.

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus and HIV Infection Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in Western Ethiopia.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV infection remain a major public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. The HCV and HIV infection among pregnant women have a serious outcome on maternal and newborn health. There is limited information in this regards in West part of Ethiopia. This study aims to identify the sero- prevalence and predictor factors of HCV and HIV infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) in Western Ethiopia.Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September, 2014 among 421 pregnant women's attending ANC services in purposively selected health facilities of western Ethiopia. The HCV and HIV infections were diagnosed by detection antibodies from aseptically collected serum sample. HCV was identified using an enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) while HIV infection was tested with rapid HIV tests following the national HIV test algorithm. The pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, and potential predictor factors of HCV and HIV infection. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software.Result: The overall sero-prevalence of HCV and HIV among the study population was 8.1% and 1.0%, respectively. The prevalence of HCV/HIV co-infection was 0.23% (1/421). Among HIV infected women, the prevalence of HCV infection was 25% (1/4). The risk of HCV infection was significantly low for urban residents (AOR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.16-0.90) and illiterate (AOR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.06-0.85). However, the history of blood transfusion was significantly increases the risk of HIV infection (AOR = 19.52, 95%CI: 1.80-150.6).Conclusion: Our study confirms public health importance of HCV and HIV infections among pregnant women in the study area. The study suggests need of attention for rural residents and educated segment of the population for HCV prevention, and national blood blank to check HIV test method used for blood transfusion.

English

In Embu County, pregnant mothers begin attending antenatal care (ANC) clinics late in third trimester. According to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, pregnant mothers should start their ANC in the first trimester before sixteen weeks of gestation. The study sought to determine factors associated with late booking of the visits. The specific objective were to find out how past pregnancy experience, accessibility of health facilities and awareness on ANC bookings influence ANC booking among pregnant women attending Maternal Child Health (MCH) clinic in Embu County. The results of the study were aimed at promoting ANC initiation within the first trimester of pregnancy. The recommended ANC model helps minimize complications that occur during pregnancy, during labor and during postpartum period through early screening, diagnosis and treatment of infections. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to collect data. Most of the clients were aware of the booking time and despite this none turned up for ANC clinic within the right gestational age. Accessibility of health facilities and past pregnancy experience was significantly associated with initiation of ANC booking. Key words: Antenatal care clinics, maternal child health, pregnant mothers, antenatal care (ANC). &nbsp

Status of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Services Utilization and Factors Affecting PMTCT Service Uptake by Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in Selected Health Facilities of Afar Regional State, Ethiopia

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the predominant way for children to acquire human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection worldwide including Ethiopia. Thus, objective of this study was to determine the status of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services utilization and factors affecting PMTCT utilization in health facilities of Afar region, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2014 to April 2015 taking 347 pregnant women and 22 health care providers. Data were collected using a questioner prepared separately for pregnant women and health care providers involved in PMTCT service delivery. Data were analyzed using SPSS considering P value <0.05 statistical significant. The study indicated that the PMTCT service utilization was 67.7%. The study also showed that there is statistically significant association in using PMTCT service with women education level, monthly income, and residence around PMTCT site. Though not statistically significant, excess waiting time, limited physical access to PMTCT sites, and transportation problem were identified as barriers for PMTCT service utilization by pregnant women. Though knowledge of mothers on MTCT of HIV and PMTCT service utilization in agropostural community of Afar region was promising, there were also different barriers identified hindering PMTCT utilization. Thus, we recommend “Wored” and zonal health office to create awareness on significance of PMTCT service in the community, enhance accessibility of PMTCT sites, provide up-to-date trainings for health care providers, and ensure constant supply for PMTCT service.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Outcome of Pregnancy among Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in North Western Nigeria

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Outcome of Pregnancy among Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in North Western Nigeria

Sero-Prevalence of Syphilis and HIV and Associated Factors in Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinics in Debre Berhan Public Health Institutions, Ethiopia

Syphilis is one of the sexually transmitted infections caused by bacteria known as Treponema pallidum and it is transmitted through sexual contact, via blood transfusion, or transplacentally from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Among STIs, syphilis and HIV are significant public health problems in Ethiopia and causes several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Thus this study aims to assess magnitude of both infections among pregnant women attending antenatal care. Facility based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Debre Berhan public health institutions and data was collected using pretested checklist. Finally data was entered to EPI Data3.02 and analyzed using SPSS version21. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant difference. Among the total participants, 179 (47%) were in the age group of 25-34 years, 220 (57%) were living in urban settings and majority 256 (67%) of the pregnant mothers were married. The overall prevalence of syphilis and HIV in pregnant mothers were 7 (1.8%) and 28 (7.2%) respectively. The highest number of syphilis and HIV prevalence were reported in 2015. Previous history of STD for syphilis (AOR 9.4; 95% CI 1.6-25) and HIV (AOR 8.2; 95% CI 2.2-31.8), previous history of still birth for syphilis (AOR 4.9; 95% CI 1.1-23.4) and HIV (AOR 5.6; 95% CI 1.8-17.1) and partner HIV test positive for HIV (AOR 11.9; 95%CI 1.18-20.6) are risk factor. The result shows syphilis and HIV infections were prevalent among pregnant women, indicating that they are still significant public health problems. Therefore, there should be health education for every pregnant woman regarding prevention of the two infection and partner testing is recommended.

Rubella Seroprevalence and real-time PCR detection of RUBV among Congolese pregnant women

BackgroundRubella is an acute infectious disease caused by Rubella virus (RUBV). RUBV remains an important pathogen worldwide, causing approximately 100 000 cases of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) every year; and the most severe consequence of rubella is teratogenicity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of RUBV IgG antibodies and determine RUBV genotypes in Congolese pregnant women in Kongo central province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).MethodsThis was a prospective cross-sectional study that consisted of a laboratory analysis of blood samples from 78 pregnant women to check for the presence of RUBV IgG antibodies, and also determine RUBV genotypes in seropositive samples (using primers targeting RUBV nucleoprotein), with the use of serological and molecular methods, respectively. Participants were pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics (ANC) at two health zones of Kisantu town in DRC. They were followed-up from the first to third trimester. Those who were negative for RUBV antibodies at the initial assay (first trimester) were tested in the second and, eventually, the third trimester.ResultsAn overall rubella seroprevalence of 58.97% was observed, whereas RUBV nucleoprotein was detected in 60% of randomly selected 30 blood samples among the 46 RUBV seropositive pregnant women. Five (27.77%) of positive samples were positive for both RUBV genotypes (RV8633/9112 and RV8945/9577), whereas 11 (61.11%) of them were positive for RV8633/9112 and two (11.11%) were positive for RV8945/9577 only. Regarding rubella clinical signs and complications, two subjects (2.56%) presented with fever, whereas five pregnant women (6.41%) had experienced abortion. None (0%) of the participants has been vaccinated against RUBV.ConclusionsFindings from this study suggest that RUBV is prevalent in Congolese pregnant women. Further research is required to elucidate the molecular epidemiology of RUBV in order to design a rational rubella surveillance and control program in DRC.

Prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use among pregnant women on antenatal care follow-up at University of Gondar referral and teaching hospital, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundImproving maternal and child health is one of the public health priorities in several African countries including Ethiopia. However, research on herbal medicine use during pregnancy is scarce in Ethiopia. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence and correlates of herbal medicine use among pregnant women on antenatal care (ANC) follow-up at Gondar university referral hospital, EthiopiaMethodsAn institutional-based cross sectional study was conducted on 364 pregnant women attending ANC clinic from March to May 2016 at University of Gondar referral and teaching hospital, northwest Ethiopia. Data on socio-demography, pregnancy related information as well as herbal medicine use was collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to determine prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use.ResultsFrom 364 respondents, 48.6% used herbal medicine during current pregnancy. ginger (40.7%) and garlic (19%) were the two most commonly used herbs in pregnancy. Common cold (66%) and inflammation (31.6%) were the most common reasons for herbal use. Majority of herbal medicine users (89.8%) had not consulted their doctors about their herbal medicine use. Rural residency (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.15, Confidence interval (CI): 1.17–6.14), illiteracy (AOR: 4.05, CI: 2.47–6.62) and average monthly income less than 100 USD (AOR: 3.08CI: 1.221–7.77) were found to be strong predictors of herbal medicine use.ConclusionsThe use of herbal medicine during pregnancy is a common practice and associated with residency, level of education and average monthly income. From the stand point of high prevalence and low disclosure rate, the health care providers should often consult pregnant women regarding herbal medicine use.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda

Hepatitis B Virus Infections and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic at Deder Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia.

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious public health problem worldwide. Reports have shown that 68,600 people die of HBV infection and more than 300,000 deaths due to liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B every year globally. Women who are infected with HBV can vertically transmit the infection to their infants. This study aims to determine the prevalence of HBV infection and associated factors among pregnant women.Methods and FindingsA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women who attended antenatal care clinic (ANC) for routine pregnancy check-up between 18 March 2015 and 15 May 2015. Data were collected by face to face interview using a pre-tested questionnaire. Serum was withdrawn for each study subject and used to test for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between explanatory variables and outcome variable. The prevalence of HBV infection was found to be 6.9%. Interestingly, the history of abortion (AOR 10.9; 95% CI: 2.2–53.9), nose piercing (AOR 9.1; 95% CI: 1.34–61.79), surgical procedure (AOR 12.8; 95% CI: 1.68–97.06) and history of multiple sexual partners (AOR 16.8; 95% CI: 3.18–89.06) were significant predictors of HBV infection.ConclusionsThis study determined that the prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women was 6.9%, implying that it is high-intermediate endemic area, which is important public health issue needs to be addressed. History of abortion, nose piercing, surgical procedures and multiple sexual partners were significantly associated with this viral infection. Accordingly we advocate that health education programs on the mode of HBV transmission, high-risk behaviors and methods of preventions should be instituted at antenatal care clinics to raise the awareness of mothers and limit the spread of infection. It is also advisable to implement nosocomial infection prevention strategies to prevent the transmissions of HBV through health care related activities such as surgical procedures. Furthermore, all pregnant women should be screened for HBV, treated if necessary to reduce their viral loads and their children vaccinated at birth with the single-dose hepatitis B vaccine to break the cycle of mother-to-child transmission.

Factor Influencing Gender Based Violence among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in PHC of Syangja District, Nepal

Pregnancy and childbirth were a time of unique vulnerability to violence victimization because of changes in women’s physical, social, emotional, and economic needs during pregnancy. This study aims to determine the factors associated with gender-based violence among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic (ANC). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 202 pregnant women attend antenatal ward of primary health care centre (PHC) of Syangja district during September 2014 to December 2014 by using semi-structure questionnaire with face to face interviews. SPSS software was used for analysis the data. The prevalence of gender based violence (GBV) among pregnant women was found to be 91.1%. The socio-demographic variables such as ethnicity, religious, the age of respondents, the age of marriage, occupation, and annual income had no association with the experience of different types of GBV (p>0.05). However, there was a statistically association between husband education (p=0.03), the age of marriage (p=0.039) and type of marriage (p=0.013) in case of psychological and economic violence whereas there was no statistically association between with other types of violence. In conclusion, gender based violence during pregnancy was a major prevalent public health problem is Syangja district of Nepal. Focus on age of marriage, types of marriage and education of husband may reduce gender based violence among the pregnant women. Women’s empowerment, economic autonomy, sensitization, awareness and needed of large-scale population-based surveys were the major recommendation of this study.

Trend of HIV Prevalence in Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic at Faith Alive Foundation and Hospital, Jos, Plateau State

<i>Objective: </i>HIV prevalence data from pregnant women who attended Antenatal Care Clinic over a five year period were used in the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV programmes and remain useful for Prevention, Care, Treatment and Support of pregnant women and ensuring that the goal of zero transmission is met. It also helped policy makers to take appropriate action in HIV/AIDS programmes. <i>Methodology: </i>A descriptive study of pregnant women presenting for the first time at the antenatal clinic of Faith Alive Foundation and Hospital, Jos from 1^st January 2010 to 31^st December 2014 was carried out. Information regarding age, gestational age at booking, parity and HIV sero status of the clients were analyzed. Screening test was carried out in a serial two step approach using determine and UNIGOLD as the confirmatory test while stat pack was the tie-breaker with discordant result. Positive samples were confirmed by western blot method. <i>Result: </i>A total of 1720 pregnant women were registered in the antenatal unit of Faith Alive Foundation and Hospital, Jos from 1st January 2010 to 31^st December 2014. 120 were sero positive. The overall HIV prevalence rate was 6.9%. High prevalence rate were observed in those aged 20-39 years. There was a decline in HIV prevalence from 10.7% in 2010 to 6.8% in 2013 and 5.8% in 2014. Majority of the sero positive women booked early in pregnancy, within the 1^st and 2^nd trimesters from 77.8% in 2010 to 80% in 2014. <i>Conclusion: </i>A decline in HIV prevalence was observed during the five year period. The study also revealed that significant number of HIV positive antenatal women registered for antenatal care early. The overall HIV sero prevalence is still high. There is need to astronomically scale up our intervention approach against HIV infection.

Health profile of pregnant women attending urban health centre in Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Background: Maternal and child mortality is the outcome of multiple factors. Current maternal mortality in India is 254 per 100,000 live births. Improving the maternal and child health is an important public health goal of government of India. To prevent unwanted outcome of pregnancy, antenatal care (ANC) is most important method for early detection and prompt treatment of complications . Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending ANC clinic at urban health centre during September 2015 to November 2015. A pre tested semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was collected from 102 pregnant women attained ANC clinic during study period. The data was compiled and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. Results: In present study majority (46%) of pregnant ladies belong to 20-25 years of age group and 26% had consanguinous marriage. In our study gravida 3, gravida 4 and gravid 5 were 29%, 12% and 5% respectively. 52 % of pregnant ladies had 3 ANC visit, almost 62% of pregnant ladies had done haemoglobin examination and 57% blood grouping testing. Pregnancy outcome were live birth in 82.66 % and abortion in 16.69%. 41% were previous LSCS and 9% were home delivery. In this study we found that high risk pregnancy were 59.8% and main reason of being high risk were previous LSCS (52%), anaemia (40%). Conclusions: High quality antenatal care as well as knowledge and practice of community regarding maternal care during pregnancy are important to unwanted outcome of pregnancy.

Perceptions, attitude and uptake of rapid syphilis testing services in antenatal clinics in North-Western Tanzania.

Infection with syphilis during pregnancy could cause spontaneous abortion, low birth weight and stillbirth. To prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by syphilis, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends syphilis screening and treatment of all pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) services. Rapid syphilis testing (RST) demonstration project was introduced at ANC clinics in Tanzania in 2009, to assess the feasibility, acceptability and its impact on uptake of syphilis screening service. Data collection was composed of in-depth interviews with health workers and pregnant women attending ANC. Additionally, from the health facility registers we extracted information on the uptake of antenatal care services, including number of pregnant women screened and treated for syphilis. Introduction of RST at health facilities was appreciated by pregnant women attending ANC and health workers. Following the introduction of RST services at ANC clinics, we observed a significant increase of the uptake of syphilis screening. Pregnant women appreciated RST service since it reduced the frequency of their visits to the health facilities and shortened the duration that they spent at the clinics. Moreover, the provision of same-day screening and treatment services helped women to save money that they would have to spend on transportation for the follow up visits. Health workers felt that RST simplified procedures to diagnose syphilis, and enabled the health workers to test and treat large numbers of clients in a shorter period of time. Our study demonstrates that, it is feasible to introduce RST service in antenatal clinics. The RST was appreciated by health workers and pregnant women, since it simplifies syphilis screening procedures, saves the time that pregnant women used to waste to wait for the results, and saves the cost that women would have to spend on transportation to come back for treatment.

Effects of introducing routinely ultrasound scanning during Ante Natal Care (ANC) clinics on number of visits of ANC and facility delivery: a cohort study.

BackgroundMany countries have integrated antenatal care as an essential part of routine maternal health services. The importance of this service cannot be overemphasized as many women’s lives are usually saved particularly through early detection of pregnancy related complications. However, while many women would attend at least one visit for ante natal care (ANC), completion of recommended number of visits (4+) has been a challenge of many health systems particularly in developing countries like Tanzania.MethodsWe conducted a cohort study to include ultrasound scanning using a portable hand-held Vscan to test whether by integrating it in routine ANC clinics at dispensary and health centre levels would promote number of ANC visits by women.Health providers rendering ANC services in selected facilities were trained on how to use the simple technology of ultrasound scanning. Women living in catchment areas of the respective selected facilities were eligible to inclusion to the study when consented. A baseline status of the ANC attendance in the study area was established through baseline household and facility surveys. A total of 257 women consented and received the study treatment.ResultsOur results showed that, there was no a slight change between baseline (97.2 %) and endline (97.4 %) results among women attending ANC clinics at least once. However, there was a significant change in percentage of women attending ANC clinic four times or more (27.2 % during baseline and 60.3 %; p = 0001).ConclusionsWe conclude that, introduction of the simplified ultrasound scanning technology at lowest levels of care has an effect to improving ANC attendance in terms of number of visits and motivate facility delivery.

Prevalence And Antibiotics Susceptibility Pattern Of Common Bacterial Uropathogens Isolated From Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic At St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College And Selam Health Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Prevalence And Antibiotics Susceptibility Pattern Of Common Bacterial Uropathogens Isolated From Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic At St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College And Selam Health Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Anemia and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in Wolayita Sodo Town, Southern Ethiopia.

Anemia during pregnancy is a common problem which affects both the mother's and her child's health. The main aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of anemia among pregnant women. We conducted a facility based cross-sectional study on 363 pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic in Wolayita Soddo Otona Hospital from January to March 2014. Sociodemographic data were collected through questionnaire based interview. Four milliliter of venous blood and five grams of fecal samples were collected from each pregnant woman. Hematological parameters were determined using CELL DYN 1800(®) (Abott, USA) Hematology analyzer. Stool samples were checked for intestinal parasites using both direct wet mount and formol-ether concentration techniques. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Overall, the prevalence of anemia was 39.94% (95% CI: 34.7 - 45.2%), of which the majority (60%) had moderate anemia. The mean hemoglobin concentration was 11.55±2.97 g/dl. Age 15-24 years (AOR: 9.89, 95%CI:2.68-21.41), family size >5 (AOR:7.74, 95%CI:4.15-16.47), multigravida (AOR:2.66, 95%CI:1.1.31-4.53), having low income (AOR:5.81, 95%CI:2.93-14.11), current clinical illness (AOR: 6.38, 95%CI:3.13-13.00), intestinal parasitic infection (AOR:2.41, 95%CI:1.08-5.81), no history of contraceptive usage (AOR:5.02 95%CI:2.21-11.47), being in third trimesters (AOR:11.37, 95%CI:4.56-24.82), history of excess menstrual bleeding (AOR:9.82, 95%CI:3.27-21.35) and low body mass index (AOR:9.44, 95%CI:7.79-22.18) were identified as independent predictors of anemia among pregnant women. Anemia prevalence was found out to be moderate public health importance. Identified risk factors should be considered for prevention and control of anemia among pregnant women.

Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthiases and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Hospital, Hossana, Southern Ethiopia

Background: In the developing world, young women, pregnant women, and their infants and children frequently experience repeated helminthic infection, that lead to anemia, intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight. Despite the difference in distribution of helminths infection within a country, the information on prevalence of intestinal Helminthiases and its associated risk factors among pregnant women in the area is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) clinic of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Hospital Hossana, Southern Ethiopia. Method and Materials: A hospital based cross sectional study design was employed. Two hundred and fifty eight pregnant women attending the hospital ANC clinic from October 1 to 30, 2013 were included in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data using interviewer administered technique. For parasitological examination, formol ether concentration technique was used to detect helminthes from clinical specimen. Data were analyzed using SPSS for windows version 16.0. Statistical tests were performed at the level of significance of 5%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to identify the significant risk factors. Result: The overall prevalence of any helminths infection was 29.5%. A. lumbricoides was the predominant helminths infection, detected in 10.1% of pregnant women. There is positive association between family size and helminths infection [AOR = 4.45; 95% CI; (1.98, 10.02)], presence of water body in the vicinity of residence [AOR = 3.39; 95% CI = 1.20, 9.57], habit of walking bare foot [AOR = 3.23; 95% CI; 1.28, 8.15)], unprotected source [AOR = 8.71, 95% CI; (1.60, 27.39)] and rural residence [AOR = 3.64, 95% CI; (1.33, 9.97)]. Monthly income > 1500 Eth. Birr [AOR = 0.48; 95% CI; (0.23, 0.99)] and living in thatched roof house [AOR = 0.24, 95% CI; (0.06, 0.89)] were found to have negative association with helminths infection. Conclusion: The present study showed high prevalence of intestinal helminthes among pregnant women in the study area. Stool exam should be routinely performed during antenatal care follow-up. Public health measures should continue to emphasize the importance of environmental and personal hygiene as well as provide and monitor the quality of drinking water aiming to obtain a better quality of life.

Utilization of PMTCT services and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BackgroundMother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains the major source of HIV infection in young children. Targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics provide a unique opportunity for implementing prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes against HIV infection of newborn babies. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with the acceptability and utilization of PMTCT of HIV.MethodsAn institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2010 using exit interviews with 843 pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) clinics of 10 health centers and two hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Trained nurses administered structured questionnaires to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about MTCT, practice of HIV testing and satisfaction with the antenatal care services. Six focus group discussions among pregnant women and 22 in-depth interviews with service providers complemented the quantitative data.ResultsAbout 94% of the pregnant women visited the health facility for ANC check-up. Only 18% and 9% of respondents attended the facility for HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and receiving antiretroviral prophylaxis, respectively. About 90% knew that a mother with HIV can pass the virus to her child, and MTCT through breast milk was commonly cited by most women (72.4%) than transmission during pregnancy (49.7%) or delivery (49.5%). About 94% of them reported that they were tested for HIV in the current pregnancy and 60% replied that their partners were also tested for HIV. About 80% of the respondents reported adequacy of privacy and confidentiality during counseling (90.8% at hospitals and 78.6% at health centers), but 16% wished to have a different counselor. Absence of counselors, poor counselling, lack of awareness and knowledge about HCT, lack of interest and psychological unpreparedness were the main reasons cited for not undergoing HIV testing during the current pregnancy.ConclusionsHIV testing among ANC attendees and knowledge about MTCT of HIV was quite high. Efforts should be made to improve the quality and coverage of HCT services and mitigate the barriers preventing mothers from seeking HIV testing. Further research should be conducted to evaluate the uptake of antiretroviral prophylaxis among HIV-positive pregnant women attending ANC clinics.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2393-14-328) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Previous early antenatal service utilization improves timely booking: cross-sectional study at university of Gondar hospital, northwest Ethiopia.

Background. Early booking of antenatal care (ANC) is regarded as a cornerstone of maternal and neonatal health care. However, existing evidence from developing countries indicate that lots of pregnant woman begin ANC booking lately. Objective. It was aimed to assess timing of ANC booking and associated factors among pregnant women attending ANC clinic at University of Gondar Hospital, 2013. Methods. An institution based cross-sectional study design was used to collect data with a face-to-face interview technique. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify associated factors for early ANC visit using SPSS version 20. Results. From total women (N = 369) interviewed, 47.4% were timely booked. Mothers with younger age (AOR = 3.83, 95% CI: 1.89, 10.53), formal education (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03, −7.61), previous early ANC visit (AOR = 2.39, 95% CI: 2.23, 9.86), and perceived ANC visit per pregnancy of four and greater were significantly associated with early ANC visit. Conclusions. Although late booking is a problem in this study, previous early utilization of ANC visit favors current timely booking. This indicates that the importance of early booking was appropriately addressed from previous visits. Counseling of timely booking during ANC visit should be strengthened. Moreover, empowering through education is also recommended.