Assessment of Knowledge and Extent of Utilization of Antenatal Care Services among Pregnant Women in Rural Communities in Benue State

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, maternal mortality is a major public health problem where more than half of the world's maternal deaths occur due to preventable causes. These causes of maternal deaths are diagnosed and treated when pregnant women have good antenatal care (ANC) knowledge and consistently attend ANC. This study aimed to assess the effect of health talk in promoting antenatal care attendance among pregnant women in rural communities. The study was a community based quasi-experimental study carried out in twelve rural communities in Benue state among pregnant women using multistage sampling technique. Participants who had ≥4 ANC contacts were 4.2 times more likely to have good knowledge of ANC than those with less visits in the study group (OR 4.2; CI 1.29-14.12). In the control group, women who had ≥4 ANC contacts were 15.8 times more likely to have good knowledge of ANC (OR 15.8; CI 1.14- 181.13). Women who had formal education were 3.1 times more likely to utilize ANC than those without formal education (OR 3.12; CI 1.42-6.84). Also, women who were ≥25 years were 2.6 times more likely to utilize ANC than those <25 years (OR 2.65; CI 1.12-5.58). The study reveals that women who had four or more ANC attendance were 16 times more likely to have good knowledge of ANC (OR 15.5; CI 1.34-181.93).