Determinants of Antenatal Care Services Utilization in Emevor Village

Appropriate ante-natal care services promotes safe-motherhood and delivery with improved maternal and neonatal outcome. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the factors influencing the utilization of ante-natal care services in a rural community. Of the 200 women studied, 113 (57%) utilized ante-natal care services during pregnancy while 87 (43%) did not. The difference is not significant (P> 0.05). A majority of the women who attained secondary education (69%), post-secondary education (96%), those whose husbands had secondary education (69%), post-secondary education (82%) and those who had income-yielding occupations (72%) utilized ante-natal care services. While only 36 % of full-time housewives, with no other occupation, and 19 % of women with a parity of more than 4 children utilized ante-natal care services. It is suggested that low-income, uneducated women with high parity should be targeted for enlightenment; in addition to promoting education of the girl-child and women empowerment. Key words: Ante-natal care, determinants, utilization, rural, Nigeria