Late Entry into Antenatal Care in a Southern Rural Area of Vietnam and Related Factors

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study were to assess the proportion of pregnant women who attended ANC late in pregnancy and to identify factors associated with late entry in communities in South Vietnam. Background: Antenatal care (ANC) in Vietnam remains a problem suboptimal in Vietnam and there is limited information of on late entry into ANC. A study conducted in 2008 in the North of Vietnam showed 2.8% of late entry into ANC in 2.8% of women in an urban area, against versus 30.9% of women in a rural area. The aims of the present study were to assess the proportion of pregnant women attending ANC late in their pregnancy and to identify factors associated with late entry in ANC in rural communities of South Vietnam in 2014. Methods: This community-based study enrolled 1,448 pregnant women who were identified by 72 village health workers in 17 communities. First initiation to ANC after first trimester of pregnancy was considered as a late entry. Related factors were selected and analysed based on the Andersen Health Seeking Behaviour model. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with late ANC. Results: The prevalence of late ANC attendance was 8.2%. Having a poverty certificate (26.9%), having a history of abortion (19.4%), living in an ethnic minority community (17.2%) and being a teenager (15.5%) were the factors associated with late entry into ANC for pregnant women. Conclusion: The proportion of pregnant women entering late into ANC in rural Southern Vietnam remains higher than in urban areas (8.2% vs. 2.8%). Health education on the importance of attending ANC early should focus on poor people, on women who have an abortion history, on ethnic minorities, and on teenagers to promote significant early entry into antenatal care, thus improving maternal and child health.