Journal of Women's Health Care
Open Access

Abstract

Late Initiation of Antenatal Care and Associated Factors among Antenatal Care Attendees in Governmental Health Centers of Harar Town, Ethiopia

Telksew Yelma Yezengaw*

Introduction: Antenatal care is a type of care given for women during pregnancy and is a key strategy for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The goal of Antenatal care is to prevent health problems of pregnant women through detection of complications and treatment of pregnancy related illness. Objective: This study aims to Assessment late initiation of antenatal care and associated factors among antenatal care attendants in Governmental Health Centers of Harar Town, Ethiopia March 05 – 20/2020. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional institution based study was used to assess late initiation of antenatal care and factors associated with it in Governmental Health Centers of Harar Town. The sampling technique was Systematic random sampling method was used. Two hundred Seven pregnant women who attend ANC were included in this study. Data was entered, coded and analyzed using SPSS, version 20. Descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages was used to present the result. Result: Out of 207 pregnant mothers included in this study, 136 (65.7%) pregnant mothers started their first ANC visit early while the remaining 71 (34. %) pregnant mothers started ANC late. Multivariate analysis revealed that Age, Gravidity and Waiting time were associated with independent variable. Those women whose age group 20- 25 years were 3 times more likely having early booking than those age group less than 20 years (AOR=3.374,95% CI=[1.117-10.189] women who had gave live birth were 2 times more likely having early booking than those women who had a history of child death(AOR=2.686,95% CI=[1.005-7.178] Those women had waited time of 1:30-2hours before having the service were 18% less likely having early booking than those women who had waited for less than 30minute (AOR=0.082,95%CI: 0.007-1.019) Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that two-third of the respondents had started their ANC within the recommended time (65.7%) and the rest one-third were booked late (34.3%). The Respondents educational level, knowledge on the importance of ANC service utilization, Source of the information which contributed to book timely for the current pregnancy and the advice given on the time of first ANC booking are significantly and positively influenced early initiation of ANC in Harar.

Published Date: 2022-01-28; Received Date: 2022-01-03