Prevalence and factors associated with early antenatal care visit in Ghana: recent evidence from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

Antenatal care (ANC) is a critical component of the maternal and child health continuum, and early initiation is essential to achieving optimal outcomes for both mothers and infants. Although the World Health Organization recommends initiating ANC within the first 12 weeks of gestation, many women in developing countries, including Ghana, do not meet this guideline. This study examined the prevalence of early ANC initiation and its associated factors among Ghanaian women using a weighted sample of 5,075 respondents. Data were analyzed with STATA/SE version 17, applying descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression to identify predictors of early initiation, with variables significant at p≤0.05 retained in the final model. Overall, 65.1% of women initiated ANC within the recommended period. Urban residence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.87; 95% CI, 1.95–2.32), tertiary or higher maternal education (AOR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.72–3.73), and higher socioeconomic status (AOR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.07–1.66) were positively associated with early initiation, whereas higher parity (≥3 children) was negatively associated (AOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.46–0.76). These findings highlight that socioeconomic and demographic factors significantly influence ANC timing, underscoring the need for interventions targeting rural women, those with limited education, and economically disadvantaged groups to promote timely initiation of ANC.