Factors related to the utilization of antenatal care among mothers delivered at the regional health promotion centre 1, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out at the Regional Health Promotion Centre 1, Bangkok, Thailand during 20th January 2003 to 16th February 2003 in order to determine factors related to the utilization of antenatal care services among mothers who delivered recently. The trained interviewers interviewee a total of 110 cases using pre-tested structured questionnaire after considering the inclusion criteria. The result of the study revealed that the prevalence of antenatal care utilization among mothers was almost cent percent. Number of antenatal visits was ranged between 3 to 11 times with the mean of 8.82 times and mode of 10 times. Normally, the first visit start in the beginning of second month of pregnancy. The coverage of tetanus toxoid immunization, iron/folate supplement, and required examinations for pregnant women was found tremendously good. Most of the women were aged between 20-35 years. Majority of them were workingwomen in the private sectors and housewives, and more than 80% were secondary school or above educated. Maximum three parity, majority (77%) having first parity, was also noticed. More than one third of women live in anuclear family with more than 5000 Baht of montly earnings. Most of thir pregnancy was planned (80%). Mostly, they were helped, encouraged and assisted by their husbands. All of them had positive attitudes, and more than 90% of them had high or average knowledge. The satisfaction with antenatal care services was very good (95%). Nevertheless, there were some specific items, were women's knowledge, attitudes and satisfactionw ere found low. Spearman's rho correlation coefficient test was performed to examine the relationships between frequency of antenatal care visits and variables of interest. The test result revealed that the knowledge was positively correlated (p<.05), and satisfaction was negatively correlated (p<.05), The frequency of antenatal care visit was divided into two groups, 3-8 times and 9+times, using mean of 8 and then, chi-square test was performed to see the differences. A significant difference was found between the ANC visits and husband's occupation (p<.05), and ANC visits and family income (p<.05). A special program for creating awareness and appropriate knowledge should be included in the regular health education programme in order to make women clear on their traditional misunderstandings related to the pregnancy and antenatal care. Such types of program need to be focused to the husbands as well.