Perceptions of pregnant women on reasons for late initiation of antenatal care: A qualitative interview study
Background: Antenatal care serves as a key entry point for a pregnant woman to receive a broad range of services and should be initiated at the onset of pregnancy. The aim of the study was to understand the reasons for late initiation of antenatal by pregnant women in Nkwen Baptist Health Center, Cameroon. Methods: The study applied purposive sampling to recruit eighteen pregnant women and three key informants for data collection through individual interviews. Pregnant women who initiated antenatal care after the first trimester were recruited during antenatal care clinics and interviewed in a room at the antenatal care unit. Key informants were midwives working at the antenatal care unit. Participation in the study was voluntary. Participants were explained the purpose of the study and signed a consent form if they were willing to participate in the research. Data was collected using an audio tape and analyzed using Thematic Coding Analysis. Results: Pregnant women place low value on early antenatal care due to the fact that they perceive pregnancy as a normal health condition or not a serious issue that requires seeking health care. Furthermore previous pregnancy outcomes that were positive regardless of accessing care made them less motivated to initiate antenatal care early. The booking system is perceived as user-unfriendly with overcrowded conditions, long waiting times and rudeness of some service providers. Cost of services and distance to health facilities with uncomfortable transport and poor road network were identified as perceived barriers. The absence of effective community health programmes, perceived lack of support from parents and spouses, fear of bewitchment and stigma due to cultural beliefs about early initiation of antenatal care were also identified as variables influencing late initiation. Conclusion: Pregnant women lack information on the purpose of early antenatal care. Health facility barriers as well as socio cultural beliefs also have significant influence on timing of antenatal care initiation. The government of Cameroon should strengthen the health system and implement activities that engage communities to improve timing of care seeking for antenatal care and thereby improve the maternal health status of women.
Due to technical limitations, tables are only available as a download in the supplemental files section.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
On 03 Feb, 2020
On 16 Jan, 2020
On 16 Jan, 2020
On 09 Jan, 2020
Received 01 Jan, 2020
Received 27 Dec, 2019
On 16 Dec, 2019
On 13 Dec, 2019
Invitations sent on 12 Dec, 2019
On 11 Dec, 2019
On 10 Dec, 2019
On 10 Dec, 2019
On 19 Nov, 2019
Received 17 Nov, 2019
On 29 Oct, 2019
Received 25 Oct, 2019
Invitations sent on 24 Oct, 2019
On 24 Oct, 2019
On 24 Oct, 2019
On 23 Oct, 2019
On 23 Oct, 2019
On 15 Oct, 2019
Received 14 Oct, 2019
Received 07 Oct, 2019
On 27 Sep, 2019
On 25 Sep, 2019
Invitations sent on 24 Sep, 2019
On 09 Sep, 2019
On 08 Sep, 2019
On 08 Sep, 2019
Posted 04 Aug, 2019
On 19 Aug, 2019
Received 17 Aug, 2019
Received 08 Aug, 2019
On 01 Aug, 2019
On 30 Jul, 2019
On 30 Jul, 2019
Invitations sent on 30 Jul, 2019
On 30 Jul, 2019
On 29 Jul, 2019
On 30 Jun, 2019
Perceptions of pregnant women on reasons for late initiation of antenatal care: A qualitative interview study
On 03 Feb, 2020
On 16 Jan, 2020
On 16 Jan, 2020
On 09 Jan, 2020
Received 01 Jan, 2020
Received 27 Dec, 2019
On 16 Dec, 2019
On 13 Dec, 2019
Invitations sent on 12 Dec, 2019
On 11 Dec, 2019
On 10 Dec, 2019
On 10 Dec, 2019
On 19 Nov, 2019
Received 17 Nov, 2019
On 29 Oct, 2019
Received 25 Oct, 2019
Invitations sent on 24 Oct, 2019
On 24 Oct, 2019
On 24 Oct, 2019
On 23 Oct, 2019
On 23 Oct, 2019
On 15 Oct, 2019
Received 14 Oct, 2019
Received 07 Oct, 2019
On 27 Sep, 2019
On 25 Sep, 2019
Invitations sent on 24 Sep, 2019
On 09 Sep, 2019
On 08 Sep, 2019
On 08 Sep, 2019
Posted 04 Aug, 2019
On 19 Aug, 2019
Received 17 Aug, 2019
Received 08 Aug, 2019
On 01 Aug, 2019
On 30 Jul, 2019
On 30 Jul, 2019
Invitations sent on 30 Jul, 2019
On 30 Jul, 2019
On 29 Jul, 2019
On 30 Jun, 2019
Background: Antenatal care serves as a key entry point for a pregnant woman to receive a broad range of services and should be initiated at the onset of pregnancy. The aim of the study was to understand the reasons for late initiation of antenatal by pregnant women in Nkwen Baptist Health Center, Cameroon. Methods: The study applied purposive sampling to recruit eighteen pregnant women and three key informants for data collection through individual interviews. Pregnant women who initiated antenatal care after the first trimester were recruited during antenatal care clinics and interviewed in a room at the antenatal care unit. Key informants were midwives working at the antenatal care unit. Participation in the study was voluntary. Participants were explained the purpose of the study and signed a consent form if they were willing to participate in the research. Data was collected using an audio tape and analyzed using Thematic Coding Analysis. Results: Pregnant women place low value on early antenatal care due to the fact that they perceive pregnancy as a normal health condition or not a serious issue that requires seeking health care. Furthermore previous pregnancy outcomes that were positive regardless of accessing care made them less motivated to initiate antenatal care early. The booking system is perceived as user-unfriendly with overcrowded conditions, long waiting times and rudeness of some service providers. Cost of services and distance to health facilities with uncomfortable transport and poor road network were identified as perceived barriers. The absence of effective community health programmes, perceived lack of support from parents and spouses, fear of bewitchment and stigma due to cultural beliefs about early initiation of antenatal care were also identified as variables influencing late initiation. Conclusion: Pregnant women lack information on the purpose of early antenatal care. Health facility barriers as well as socio cultural beliefs also have significant influence on timing of antenatal care initiation. The government of Cameroon should strengthen the health system and implement activities that engage communities to improve timing of care seeking for antenatal care and thereby improve the maternal health status of women.
Due to technical limitations, tables are only available as a download in the supplemental files section.