Clinics in Mother and Child Health

Abstract

Delayed Initial Antenatal Care and its causes in the Central Borough of Cobly (Benin)

Obossou AAA, Bib H, Aguemon ACT, Salifou K, Sidi IR, Sayi AC, Kombetto BK and Perrin RX

Background: Delayed initial antenatal care (ANC1) visit is a major concern of public health in all the developing countries, including Benin.

Objective: Investigating delayed initial prenatal care in pregnant women and associated factors in the central borough of Cobly in 2013.

Method: It was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study. It involved and focused on 215 pregnant women who attended ANC from August 5 to September 5, 2013. Data were processed and analyzed using EPI-data and EPI-Info-3.3.2 softwares. The Chi-square statistical test and the prevalence ratio had been used at a 5% significance levelto seek statistical relationships between variables.

Results: Most of respondents investigated in this study were aged between 20 and 34 years, with a mean-age of 23.82 ± 6.34 years. ANC1 (first quarter’s care) coverage was 10.23%. Pregnant women had adequate knowledge of the ANC, particularly emphasis on ANC, minimum number of ANC to be performed during pregnancy, signs of complications and danger in the respective proportions of 65.6%, 75% and 69%.

The main factors associated with delayed ANC were: religion, husbands’ educational attainment, nature of pregnancy (intended or not), patients’ age and woman behaviour towards pregnancy (concealment or not).

Conclusion: ANC1 coverage will be improved through health-focused educational activities at every contact with mothers in or out of pregnancy and by strengthening the population’s educational attainment.