Factors related to the perception of pregnant women regarding antenatal care in Nakonpathom province, Thailand

Abstract

        A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine perceptions of pregnant women regarding antenatal care (ANC) and their related factors among pregnant women in Nakhonpathom province, Thailand.  Data were collected from 227 pregnant women using self-administered questionnaires in January, 20 I O. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and Multiple logistic regression were used for analysis. 

       Sixty percent of the pregnant women had positive perceptions regarding ANC. By bivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with perception of ANC were education level, marital status, knowledge regarding ANC, family support, accessibility to ANC information, and pregnancy intention (P-value < 0.05). By multiple logistic regression analysis, factors which predicted perceptions on ANC were: knowledge of pregnant   women about ANC and accessibility to ANC information. Knowledge (Poor: OR = 9.30, 95% CI = 2.63-32.89, Moderate: OR = 4.53, 95% CI= 2.10-9.76) and fair accessibility of information (OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.303-4.38) were significantly associated with negative perceptions of ANC.

        The findings of this study suggest that knowledge of ANC should   be emphasized and accessibility to information about ANC for pregnant  women should be improved to encourage positive perceptions on ANC.