Modelling determinants of antenatal care services utilization in Nigeria

Abstract

Sensitization to antenatal care (ANC) services utilization has increased as a result of the increase in the number of maternal deaths in Nigeria. Hence, this study examined the determinants of ANC services utilization among women (15 – 49 years old) in Nigeria. Data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) for 2013 was used in this study. The responses to ANC checkups for the mother of most recent child was used to measure whether the respondent utilizes the ANC services. The Chi-squared test of independence was used to test the significant association between the response variable and each of the selected factors that are associated with the response.  Also, a generalized logistic regression analysis was used to measure the effects of the selected factors that are associated with the use ANC services. The findings indicated that all the selected factors except husband’s working status influenced the use of ANC services (P-values < 0.05). However, health enlightenment programmes that will sensitize and encourage women living in the rural area, women with no education, women with no occupation and women with low income from all part of Nigeria on the need to utilize ANC services should be employed on media outlets.