LATE ANTENATAL CARE ATTENDANCE AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PREGNANT MOTHERS ATTENDING PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES, IN ILU ABA BORA ZONE, OROMIA REGION, SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Antenatal care is a care given to pregnant women that used for prevention, early diagnosis, treatment for general medical and pregnancy related complications. The prevalence of late antenatal care attendance in Ethiopia remains high. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of late antenatal care attendance and its associated factors among pregnant women attending in Ilu Ababor Zone public health facilities, Southwest Ethiopia. Method: Facility based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 574 pregnant mothers in Ilu ababor from December 15/2021 to January 20/2022. Stratified multi stage sampling was used to select health facilities and systematic random sampling method was used during selection of Study subject. Pretested and structured interview questions were used to collect data. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariate and Multivariable binary logistic regression were used to identify independent predictors of late antenatal care. Statistically significant was declared to be at p-value of < 0.05. Result: The prevalence of late antenatal care attendance among respondents was 64.6%. Based on Multivariable logistic regression analysis; ruler residence: OR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.5, 3.1), age < 24: OR= 1.23(95% CI: 1.13, 1.94), mother did not have formal primary education: OR = 1.62; (95% CI: 1.42, 7.23), mother did not know number of antenatal care recommended: OR = 1.6( 95% CI: 1.26, 5.1), mother did not advised significance on antenatal care initiation: OR = 1.48( 95% CI: 1.32, 14.3), were significantly associated at p-value of < 0.05 with late antenatal care booking. Conclusion: the prevalence of late antenatal care attendance was high among respondents who visited at public health facilities in Ilu ababor zone. Respondent‟s age, residences, maternal education, number of antenatal care recommended and advised from significant other were associated factors of late antenatal care booking. Hence, provide complete information of health communication about ANC, continuous update of national protocol of antenatal care visits as per World health organization, design and implement new initiative that tested synergistically should be focused.