Abstract:

Background: Pregnancy is an important period to promote health behaviors to maximize the health and development of both the woman and her unborn child. Delay on timely initiation of antenatal care has great impact on adverse pregnancy outcomes. More over antenatal care provides the opportunity to detect and treat anomalies of pregnancy and to deliver preventive health services such as immunization against tetanus and prophylaxis against malaria.
Objectives: This study assessed the timing for first antenatal care visit and its influencing factors among pregnant women attending Antenatal clinic at Buzuruga Health center, Mwanza.

Methodology: A random sampling was used to recruit eligible pregnant women. Study data were collected using a pretested semi structured interviewer administered questionnaire. The data which were collected included gestation age at first visit in weeks, occupation, gravidity, education level, marital status and reason for booking. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 by descriptive statistics. Frequency distribution tables were generated.

Results: A total of 206 pregnant women with median age of 27 [Interquartile range (IQR) 18 - 41] participated in this study. Majority (64.6%) had their first visit on the second trimester (week 13-24) and 1.5% on the third trimester, with the latest visit at 26 weeks. More than half (56.8%, 112/206) women perceived that early antenatal clinic booking should only be during the first pregnancy. The timing of first antenatal clinic visit was significantly associated with gravidity (p = 0.018) and reason for booking (p = 0.013) whereby multigravida women and sick women during pregnancy were more likely to attend their first ANC visit late.

Conclusions: Majority of pregnant women (66%) booked their first antenatal care visit later than recommended by WHO and national guideline. Antenatal care booking was associated with gravidity and feeling unwell as a reason for booking.