Factors Associated with Late Initiation of Prenatal Care at a Healthcare Facility in the Peruvian Andes

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors associated with late initiation of prenatal care at a healthcare facility in the Peruvian Andes. Methods: This was an analytical case-control study (n = 76) using secondary data, with an unmatched 1:1 case-control ratio. A case was defined as any patient who initiated prenatal care at ≥14 weeks of gestation. The variables were grouped into: individual factor: individual factors (age, educational level, occupation, marital status, and place of origin), obstetric factors (parity, interpregnancy interval, history of previous abortions, and previous obstetric complications), and sociocultural factors (religion, language, and domestic violence). To identify associated factors, crude odds ratios (OR) were first calculated using binary logistic regression; subsequently, significant variables were adjusted using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Incomplete secondary school has an adjusted odds ratio of 8.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6 - 43.7), being a housewife has an adjusted odds ratio of 2.5 (95% CI: 1.2 - 5.2), having an interpregnancy period ≤ 2 years has an adjusted odds ratio of 2.6 (95% CI: 1.2-5.5), speaking the Quechua language has an adjusted odds ratio of 2.8 (95% CI: 1.3-6.1) and family violence had an adjusted odds ratio of 5.2 (95% CI: 1.2-22.6). Conclusion: Factors associated with late initiation of prenatal care included incomplete secondary education, being a housewife, short interpregnancy interval (≤2 years), speaking Quechua, and experiencing domestic violence.