title: Multiple antenatal bookings among pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria.
abstract: Some pregnant women do book concurrently with multiple antenatal care providers. Structured questionnaires were administered to women attending antenatal clinics in 12 facilities in Enugu, Nigeria. A total of 535 women responded: 372 (69.5%) were booked into more than one facility and 163 (30.5%) were booked into a single facility; 280 (52.3%) booked into the two Teaching Hospitals and 91 (12.5%) booked with a traditional birth attendant. Reasons for multiple bookings included selecting a facility with affordable prices (43.9%); selecting a facility promising vaginal delivery (35.3%); avoiding HIV testing (17.9%); avoiding caesarean section (10.8%); avoiding being regarded as unbooked (10.1%) and booking into a facility where they were not known. Possible disadvantages were confusion in deciding where to deliver (53.1%); default on expert advice (27.5%); mismanagement (18.7%); delays, complications and death (12.5%). Multiple bookings were common in this study. Disadvantages of this practice, including risk of death, were identified by the women.
authors.affiliation: Maternity Unit, Annunciation Specialist Hospital, Emene, Enugu, Nigeria. ericikojo@yahoo.com
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Nwogu-Ikojo
authors.forename: I I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Okafor
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Ezegwui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011247:Pregnancy