factors affecting timing of 1st antenatal care among mothers at antenatal clinic in bukigai health centre iii bududa district

Description

Background: Antenatal care (ANC), skilled delivery care and emergency obstetric care, is a key element of the package of services aimed at improving maternal and newborn health. Timing of antenatal care (ANC) is booking within the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. It is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. However, women often only initiate ANC after the first trimester and do not achieve the recommended number of ANC visits due to various factors that influence ANC attendance globally with varying levels of ANC attendance. Objective: The purpose of study was to determine factors affecting timing of 1st antenatal care attendance of pregnant mothers at Bukigai Health centre III Bukigai sub county Bududa District. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive in nature, employing quantitative method of data collection was used to assess factors affecting timing of 1st antenatal care attendance of pregnant mothers at Bukigai Health centre III Bukigai sub county Bududa District using standard questionnaires among 216 women attending ANC using consecutive sampling method, data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: From the data analyzed, the level of timely first ANC visit was 6.5%. age (OR=2.3, 95% CI=0.06-10.24, OR=1.4 95% CI=0.11-3.96, P=0<.001), education level (OR=1.6, 95% CI=0.33-7.32, OR=2.2, 95% CI=0.57-9.20, P=0<.001), Number of children (OR=2.3, 95% CI=0.63-12.58, OR=3.1, 95% CI=0.52-7.03, P=0<.001), decision makers (OR=2.2, 95% CI=.0.21-10.30, P=0<.001), distance to the health facility (OR=2.9, 95% CI=0.80-5.36, P=0.001), availability of health workers (OR=2.0, 95% CI=0.41-5.16, P=0.021), waiting time (OR=2.3, 95% CI=0.24-9.19, OR=2.1, 95% CI=00.38-8.90, OR=2.3, 95% CI=0.27-13.35, P=0<.001) and health workers attitude(OR=2.1, 95% CI=0.0-2.64, OR=1.4, 95% CI=0.01-5.01, OR=1.5, 95% CI=0.03-4.16, P=0<.001) were independently association with timely first ANC visit Conclusions and Recommendations: In conclusion, this study revealed that the timely first ANC visit was very low at 6.5%. Therefore the study recommends that health office should strengthen and maintain local information dissemination network on antenatal care and its right time of commencement and community based information education and communication on ante natal care and its right time of commencement should be organized and implemented.