Factors affecting antenatal care attendance: results from qualitative studies in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi

Abstract

Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. However, survey data from subSaharan Africa indicate that women often only initiate ANC after the first trimester and do not achieve the recommended number of ANC visits. Drawing on qualitative data, this article comparatively explores the factors that influence ANC attendance across four sub-Saharan African sites in three countries (Ghana, Kenya and Malawi) with varying levels of ANC attendance.