Variations in antenatal care between women of different communities in Kenya

Appropriate antenatal care is important in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes for both the mother and the baby but many mothers in the developing world do not receive such care. This paper uses data from the 1993 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey to study the variations in the use of antenatal services in Kenya. The analysis is based on modelling the frequency and timing of antenatal visits using three-level linear regression models. The results show that the use of antenatal care in Kenya is determined by a range of socio-economic, cultural and reproductive factors, including the availability and accessibility of health services and the desirability of a pregnancy. Unwanted and mistimed pregnancies are associated with poor attendance at antenatal clinics but this effect varies significantly between women. The results also indicate that women are highly consistent in the use of antenatal care during pregnancies and the correlation is strongest in urban areas