School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
J Biosoc Sci. 2022 Mar;54(2):322-332. doi: 10.1017/S0021932021000079. Epub 2021 Feb 26.
Utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services, as part of reproductive health care, presents a lifesaving chance for health promotion and the early diagnosis and treatment of illnesses throughout pregnancy. This study examines the factors associated with the number and timing of ANC visits among married women in Cameroon using data from the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variables were number of ANC visits, categorized as <8 visits or ≥8 visits, and the timing of first ANC visit, categorized as ≤3 months (early) or >3 months (late) (as per the new 2016 WHO recommendations). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the data. Crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and p-values with significance at <0.05 were used to interpret the results. The proportions of women who had ≥8 ANC visits and first ANC visit at ≤3 months gestation were 6.3% and 35.6% respectively. Women aged 35-39 at childbirth (aOR=3.99, 95% CI=1.30-12.23), middle wealth quintile women (aOR=3.22, 95% CI=1.01-10.27), women whose husbands had secondary (aOR=7.00, 95% CI=2.26-21.71) or higher (aOR=16.93, 95% CI=4.91-58.34) education were more likely to have ≥8 ANC visits. Early timing of first ANC visit was low among women with birth order 3-4 (aOR=0.63, 95% CI=0.46-0.85). Conversely, the likelihood of having early ANC visits was high among women whose pregnancies were intended (aOR=1.32, 95% CI=1.01-1.74), the richest women (aOR=3.89, 95% CI=2.30-6.57) and women whose husbands had secondary (aOR=2.41, 95% CI=1.70-3.64) or higher (aOR=3.12, 95% CI=2.40-7.46) education. The study highlights that age at childbirth, wealth, husband's educational attainment, birth order and pregnancy intention could influence the utilization of ANC services among married women in Cameroon. Hence, to improve attendance and early initiation of ANC, interventions should be targeted at empowering women financially and removing all financial barriers associated with accessing ANC, improving ANC education among women and encouraging male involvement in ANC education.
利用产前护理（ANC）服务，作为生殖保健的一部分，为促进健康以及在整个怀孕期间及早诊断和治疗疾病提供了救命机会。本研究使用 2018 年喀麦隆人口与健康调查的数据，调查了喀麦隆已婚妇女 ANC 就诊次数和时间的相关因素。因变量是 ANC 就诊次数，分为<8 次或≥8 次，以及首次 ANC 就诊时间，分为≤3 个月（早期）或>3 个月（晚期）（按照新的 2016 年世卫组织建议）。采用描述性统计和二元逻辑回归分析数据。使用粗比值比（cOR）、调整比值比（aOR）和具有统计学意义的 p 值（<0.05）来解释结果。≥8 次 ANC 就诊和首次 ANC 就诊≤3 个月的妇女比例分别为 6.3%和 35.6%。分娩时年龄为 35-39 岁的妇女（aOR=3.99，95%CI=1.30-12.23）、中等财富五分位数的妇女（aOR=3.22，95%CI=1.01-10.27）、丈夫受过中学（aOR=7.00，95%CI=2.26-21.71）或更高教育（aOR=16.93，95%CI=4.91-58.34）的妇女更有可能进行≥8 次 ANC 就诊。在生育顺序为 3-4 的妇女中，首次 ANC 就诊的早期时间较低（aOR=0.63，95%CI=0.46-0.85）。相反，计划妊娠的妇女进行早期 ANC 就诊的可能性较高（aOR=1.32，95%CI=1.01-1.74）、最富有的妇女（aOR=3.89，95%CI=2.30-6.57）和丈夫受过中学（aOR=2.41，95%CI=1.70-3.64）或更高教育（aOR=3.12，95%CI=2.40-7.46）的妇女。该研究表明，分娩年龄、财富、丈夫的教育程度、生育顺序和妊娠意图可能会影响喀麦隆已婚妇女对 ANC 服务的利用。因此，为了提高 ANC 的利用率和早期启动率，干预措施应该针对增强妇女的经济权能，消除与获取 ANC 相关的所有经济障碍，提高妇女对 ANC 的教育水平，并鼓励男性参与 ANC 教育。
