Ninth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Early antenatal care attendance during pregnancy is important to ensure optimal health outcomes for both the mother and child. Most Ugandan women present late for antenatal care. This research assessed the determinants of first antenatal care visit among pregnant women (18-40 years) in two high volume health facilities in a rural district in Uganda. A descriptive cross sectional study using both qualitative and quantitative methods was conducted with 384 pregnant women and 12 male partners, 10 midwives, 6 departmental managers and four Village Health Team members. More than half (69%) of pregnant women initiated antenatal care attendance late with an average of five gestational months. Lack of knowledge on early pregnancy signs and on the benefits of early antenatal care initiation greatly influenced timing of the first antenatal visit. Other factors were long waiting hours, fear for many medications and costs related to hospital booking and registration. Delayed initiation of antenatal care is still very common. Improving female education and empowering women through economic reforms and promoting early partner involvement in pregnancy care could enhance early antenatal care enrollment.