Factors affecting optimal antenatal care utilization in Indonesia: implications for policies and practices

Most maternal deaths are preventable with good antenatal care. The study aimed to examine factors relevant to optimal frequency of Antenatal Care (ANC) visits in Indonesia using the Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey 2017 data. Our study outcome was optimal numbers of ANC visits (≥ 8 visits). Predictors include age, had pregnancy termination, number of children, education level, employment status, awareness of pregnancy problems, wealth index, residence, region, health insurance coverage, and barriers to reach healthcare facilities. Of 3738 participants, about 60.2% had optimal number of ANC visits. There was an association between optimal ANC utilization and: experiencing pregnancy complications, distance to the healthcare facility, health insurance coverage, residence, region, awareness of pregnancy problems, and the number of children. Policymakers should improve healthcare facilities' availability, expand health insurance coverage, and educate women about the importance of ANC. This finding might be relevant in developing countries with similar health infrastructure situation.