Adugnaw Zeleke Alem|Yigizie Yeshaw|Tesfa Sewunet Alamneh|Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema|Tesfa Sewunet Alamneh|Misganaw Gabrie Worku|Achamyeleh Birhanu Teshale|Zemenu Tadesse Tessema
Timely initiation of antenatal care and its associated factors among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: A multicountry analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys
University of Gondar|University of Gondar|University of Gondar|University of Gondar|University of Gondar|University of Gondar|University of Gondar|University of Gondar
timely initiation antenatal care anc important component anc services improve health mother newborn mothers begin attending anc timely manner fully benefit preventive curative services however evidence subsaharan africa ssa indicated majority pregnant mothers start first visit timely search concerned study incorporates large number subsaharan africa countries thus objective study assess prevalence timely initiation anc associated factors 36 ssa countriesthe demographic health survey dhs 36 ssa countries used analysis total weighted sample 233349 women aged 1549 years gave birth five years preceding survey anc visit last child included multilevel logistic regression model used examine individual communitylevel factors influence timely initiation anc results presented using adjusted odds ratio aor 95 confidence interval ciin study overall timely initiation anc visit 380 95 ci 378382 ranging 145 mozambique 686 liberia final multilevel logistic regression model women secondary education aor 108 95 ci 106 111 higher education aor 143 95 ci 136 151 women aged 2534 years aor 120 95 ci 117 123 35 years aor 130 95 ci 126 135 women richest household aor 119 95 ci 114 122 women perceiving distance health facility big problem aor 105 95ci 103 107 women exposed media aor 129 95ci 126 132 women living communities medium percentage literacy aor 151 95ci 140 163 women living communities high percentage literacy aor 156 95ci 138 176 likely initiate anc timely however women wanted pregnancy later aor 084 95ci 082 086 wanted pregnancy aor 080 95ci 077 083 women residing rural area aor 090 95ci 087 092 less likely initiate anc timelyeven though recommends women initiate anc within 12 weeks gestation ssa recorded low overall prevalence timely initiation anc maternal education pregnancy intention residence age wealth status media exposure distance health facility communitylevel literacy significantly associated timely initiation anc therefore intervention efforts focus identified factors order improve timely initiation anc ssa done providing information education community timing importance attending antenatal care family planning prevent unwanted pregnancy especially rural settings