Factors Affecting the Utilization of a Minimum of Four Antenatal Care Services in Ethiopia

Antenatal care is defined as the routine care of pregnant women provided between conception and the onset of labor. This study is aimed to identify factors affecting the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services in Ethiopia.

The study used data from the nationally representative 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). A total of 7,167 mothers who gave birth within five years preceding the 2016 EDHS whose complete information was available in the survey were included in this study. Logistic regression statistical analyses were used to identify factors associated with the utilization of a minimum of 4 ANC services in Ethiopia.

Among the 7,167 women included in this study, 2,598 (36.6%) had utilized a minimum of 4 ANC services in Ethiopia. This study showed that factors such as place of residence, region, mothers' education level, household wealth index, desire for pregnancy, frequency of reading newspaper, frequency of listening to radio, and frequency of watching TV were associated with the utilization of a minimum of four ANC services at 5% level of significance in Ethiopia.

Strategies to increase the accessibility and availability of healthcare services are important particularly for communities in rural areas. Financial support that enables mothers from poor households to use health services will be beneficial. Health promotion programs targeting mothers with no education are vital to increase their awareness about the importance of antenatal services.