Factors contributing to non-compliance with the standard antenatal visits among women in Nyaruguru district, southern province, Rwanda

Abstract

Background: Non-compliance with at least four standard antenatal care (ANC) visits is a critical public health problem. In Rwanda, the proportion of pregnant women who follow the four ANC remains relatively low (43.9%) although it has relatively increased.

Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge of selected pregnant women on the importance of using the ANC service, to determine the proportion of pregnant women attending the four ANC and to identify factors limiting the women to the four standards ANC compliance.

Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study.

Setting: Nyaruguru District.

Subject: All women on term and those with child aged one year. They were randomly selected from each village until the sample size of the study (n = 367) was attained.

Results: About 13.4% of pregnant women made at least four ANC visits. The low ANC attendance was significantly associated with the long walking distance from home to the health centre (p=0.05), insufficient knowledge on the importance of the use of the ANC service (p=0.01).

Conclusion: There is a need to strengthen education and awareness on the importance of ANC in that community in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Nyaruguru District.