Timing of First Antenatal Care Visit and Associated Factor Among Pregnant Women in Public Health Facilities of Pawi District Benishangul Gumuze Region, North West Ethiopia, 2022

Abstract

Background: Timely initiation of antenatal care is crucial for early detection and can avoid pregnancy-related health problems and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Only 28% of pregnant women in Ethiopia had their first antenatal care during the first trimester. The status is worse in the least developed regions of Ethiopia like Benishangul Gumz. Objective: To assess the timing of first antenatal care visits and identifies associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in public health facilities in Pawi district, North West Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in public health facilities of Pawi Woreda from June 1 to July 5, 2022. A total of 417 pregnant women visiting public health facilities for the first time during the index pregnancy were selected by systematic random sampling. Quantitative data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science Version 22.0. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the timing of first antenatal care and P- value<0.05 was considered to declare statistically significant. The qualitative key informant interview was conducted with a total of 10 healthcare providers from all facilities included in the study. The interviews were voice recorded, transcribed into words, translated to English, and analyzed thematically. Result: Slightly greater than four out of ten (43.9%, 95%CI: 38.7, 48.3) women have made their first antenatal care visits at 16 weeks or earlier. Thus planned pregnancy (AOR = 3.61, 95% CI: 1.13, 8.02), rural area (AOR=0.02, 95% CI=0.01, 0.16), nulliparous (AOR= 2.64, 95%CI, 1.40, 11.64) and housewives (AOR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.86) were significantly associated with the timing of first antenatal care. If lack of knowledge importance of ANC, socio-cultural beliefs, and household economic status were barriers or facilitators of the timing of the first ANC visit. Conclusions: Low proportion of pregnant women have attended antenatal care visits in the recommended schedule being associated with no formal education, being a housewife, rural resident, nulliparous, having an unplanned pregnancy, having knowledge of healthcare providers, and having a household income.