title: Antenatal Health Care Service Utilization in Slum Areas of Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City, Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Half a million women die every year due to pregnancy and childbirth in the world. Among these death, 99% occur in the low and middle income countries. Antenatal care (ANC) provides an opportunity to deliver different services which are important in improving maternal survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted from September 2012 - February 2013 among 400 married women of reproductive age group. A pre-tested structured questionnaire were used and data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science(SPSS) for windows version 18.0. Frequency, crude and adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly 27% had four or more antenatal health care utilization(ANC) visits on appropriate time according to schedule of World Health Organization(WHO). In logistic regression, ANC users were found to be more/less likely to be in age group 20 - 35 years (AOR =2.825, 95% CI: 1.166-6.843), education of spouse (AOR 0.361, 95% CI : 0.130-1.000), occupation of spouse (AOR = 0.261, 95% CI: 0.093 -0.739), monthly income of family > 20,000Nrs (AOR = 2.190, 95% CI: 1.041-4.606), planned pregnancy (AOR = 2.417, 95% CI: 1.047 -5.609), death of child (AOR = 3.153, 95% CI: 1.112 -8.944).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated low antenatal care service utilization. Hence, there is a need to increase the availability and accessibility of antenatal care to all women.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Pokharel
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine & Public health, BP Koirala Institute of Health Science, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Budhathoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine & Public health, BP Koirala Institute of Health Science, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine & Public health, BP Koirala Institute of Health Science, Dharan, Nepal.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Pokharel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Antenatal care (ANC); appropriate time of visit; child birth; pregnancy; reproductive age.