Differences in characteristics of women who initiate antenatal care early and late in two slums of Nairobi, Kenya
Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Abstract: ABSTRACT \nBackground: About 90% of women in Kenya report at least one antenatal care (ANC) visit \nyet maternal mortality rate remains high at 414 per 100,000 live births. Only 40% of \nchildbirths occur in health facilities. A previous study of Nairobi slums in 2000 indicated that \nonly 10.3% of women initiated ANC visits in the first trimester. High incidence of maternal \ndeaths in Kenya especially among the very poor has been attributed to inadequate emergency \nobstetrical care. Decreasing numbers of women are initiating ANC within the first trimester \nand this may be affecting the ability of the health system to identify and cater for women \nwhose health conditions can be effectively managed through ANC. \nThis study aimed to determine the proportion of women initiating ANC in the first and last \ntrimesters and the background characteristics associated with these women in two slums of \nNairobi, Kenya. It also sought to determine if timing of initial ANC visit was associated with \nnumber of visits and choice of place of delivery in a slum setting. \nMaterials and methods: This research report is a secondary data analysis of the World Bank \nfunded Maternal Health Project conducted between 1st April and 30th June, 2006 by the \nAfrican Population and Health Research Center. Participants were women 12 to 54 years, \nenumerated in the Nairobi Urban Health Demographic Surveillance System living in two \nslums of Nairobi, who had a pregnancy outcome between January 2004 and December 2005. \nWomen 15 to 49 years were included in this analysis. Analysis of the data was done using \nSTATA 9.2. \nFindings: Only 7.3% of women initiated ANC in the first trimester, with 52% making four or \nmore visits. In the third trimester 22% of women initiated ANC. Although 97% of women \nreported receiving their first ANC from a skilled health professional, only 48.4% delivered in \nwell equipped health care facilities. The median number of months pregnant at first ANC was \nsix and median number of visits was four. Women who were most likely to initiate early \nANC had secondary school or higher level of education (p=0.055) and were in a union \n(p=0.008). The least likely to initiate care in the first trimester were of minority ethnicity \n(0.011) and high parity (p=0.019). As educational level and wealth status rise, the likelihood \nof late ANC initiation declines. Women living with unemployed partners were less likely to \ninitiate care in the first trimester compared to those living with employed partners (OR 0.2, \np=0.046). Only women with educated partners initiated care during the first trimester. \nWomen who initiated ANC in the first trimester were more likely to have 4 visits and more \nlikely to deliver in appropriate facilities than those who initiated care in the third trimester. \nThose who initiated care to obtain an ANC card were less likely to have 4 visits than those \nwho initiated care to verify that pregnancy was normal (OR 0.5, p=0.000). Women who \ninitiated care in first trimester were 1.5 and 5.0 times more likely to deliver in good health \nfacilities than those who initiated care in third trimester (p=0.040) and those who had no ANC \n(p=0.000), respectively. \nConclusion: Women in Korogocho and Viwandani may have better chances of delivering in \nappropriate facilities if they have low parity and secondary level education. The presence of a \npartner with a means of steady income may also make it easier for women to access delivery \ncare in good facilities. Interventions to improve the level of educational attainment among \nwomen and provide affordable family planning are necessary to increase early ANC \nattendance and subsequently delivery in well equipped facilities.
Author: Nkeonyere Francisca Ezeh
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2233986615