Publications

For the best possible outcomes for the health of both the mother and the foetus, timely antenatal care (ANC) mustbe started. Delays in obtaining ANC services, however, continue to be a serious problem, especially in areas withlow resources like Western Uganda. To improve the health of mothers and children, it is crucial to comprehend theextent and contributing reasons of delayed beginning of the first ANC visit. In Western Uganda, at the HoimaRegional Referral Hospital, a cross-sectional study was carried out. Pregnant women receiving ANC servicescompleted a structured questionnaire that was used to gather information on sociodemographic traits, obstetrichistory, ANC knowledge, and factors influencing the first ANC visit date. To analyse the data, both descriptive andinferential statistics were applied. Pregnant ladies totaling 6-16 weeks were included in the study. At the firstantenatal care visit, the mean gestational age was 9.65 weeks, and 8.7% of the women started ANC in the firsttrimester. Low educational attainment, multiparity, ignorance of the significance of early ANC, a long commute tothe health facility, and financial restrictions were all linked to the delayed commencement of ANC. Even with theestablished advantages of early ANC beginning, a sizable fraction of pregnant women in Western Uganda beginsANC later than necessary. Strategies to enhance the healthcare-seeking behaviour of mothers should concentrateon lowering socioeconomic barriers, raising awareness of the value of early ANC, and enhancing access to ANCservices, especially for women living in rural regions. Reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and death in thearea requires such measures.