Abstract:
Background: - Antenatal Care booking is used to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes and
maintain new born life, when it is sought early in pregnancy. Women who attend antenatal care
late miss the opportunity of early detection of human immune virus, sexually transmitted
diseases, malaria, anemia prophylaxis, health education and treatment or prevention of
complications. However, existing evidence from developing countries including Ethiopia
indicate that few women seek Antenatal care at early stage of their pregnancy.
Objectives: - To assess timing of first Ante natal care booking and associated factors in
Arbaminch town and Arbaminch Zuria Woreda.
Methods: - A facility based cross-sectional study employing both quantitative and qualitative
methods was conducted from February to March, 2014 in Arbaminch town and Arbaminch zuria
Woreda. Data were collected from 409 pregnant women who were attending ANC clinics in nine
public health facilities selected by systematic random sampling. Data was collected through exit
interviews with antenatal care attendees, and in-depth interviews with pregnant women, health
care providers and health extension workers. The data were collected by trained female Nurse
using semi-structured and pretested questionnaire. Binary and Multivariable logistic regression
analysis was performed at level of significance of p value ≤0.25 and ≤0.05 respectively.
Result: - A total of 409 pregnant women were interviewed. The mean age of the respondents was
26+ 5.5 years. 82.6% of pregnant women were booked late. Most of the reasons given by
respondents who booked late were due to perception of appropriate time and shortage of time.
This study indicated that pregnant women with low monthly income (AOR=4.9, CI (1.713,
14.076)), women who received advise when to start ANC visits not on recommended time
(AOR=3, CI (1.476, 6.244)), household food insecurity (AOR=4.66, CI (1.007, 21.589)) and
pregnant women with unplanned pregnancy (AOR=4.49, CI (2.162, 9.353) were factors
associated with late first Antenatal care booking.
Conclusion: - The study showed that more than three fourth of the pregnant women booked
late for first antenatal care. Hence, at health facility and community level intensify health
education for pregnant women and information education communication intervention is very
important.
