Determinants of Antenatal Care Utilization among Adolescent Mothers in the Yendi Municipality of Northern Region, Ghana

Abstract

Adolescent pregnancy is a high-risk situation because of the mothers’ physical and psychological immaturity for reproduction. In rural Ghana, especially in the northern part of the country, adolescent women are reluctant to access antenatal care. This study therefore examines the determinants of antenatal care attendance among pregnant adolescents in the Yendi Municipality. A cross sectional descriptive study design was employed with both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The tools used for the data collection were questionnaires and interview guides. Data was collected from 126 adolescent mothers using the purposive sampling technique. Results indicate that distance to health facilities, mother’s and partner’s level of education, unfriendly attitude of health workers, cultural beliefs and income are the main determinants for the utilization of antenatal care services among pregnant adolescents. A significant association with the utilization of antenatal care services include place of residence, ethnicity, religion, marital status, partner’s education level and distance to health facility. The study recommended comprehensive action-based approaches needed in rural communities, including providing public transportation and increasing availability of different types of health facilities by government. Also, there is a need for community-based interventions that can create awareness and change these social groups, cultural norms and behaviours.