Factors related to antenatal clinic choice and reported activities of antenatal care clinics by pregnant women in Gulele district, Addis Abeba.

Two-hundred-seventy pregnant women in the third trimester in 24 kebeles of Gulele district, Addis Abeba were included in the study to assess the factors associated with the choice of antenatal care (ANC) clinics and the women's views concerning activities at antenatal care clinics. Questionnaire were administered to pregnant women at their homes by trained assistants. Majority of the respondents attended ANC in a health station and the most frequent reason for choice of place of attendance was closeness of health institution to which the pregnant woman lives followed by little or no expenses for antenatal care. One fourth of the women attending antenatal care said that health education is never given at the health institution where they attend antenatal care. About 80% of the attendants reported that their blood pressure was always taken. Blood examinations were said to have been performed for 85.6% of the attendants and 74.1% said their urine was checked. We recommend that activities of ANC clinics be assessed thoroughly by different methods and well designed studies addressing the effect of ANC attendance on pregnancy outcome. Refresher courses for health workers on health education and maternal and child health are suggested.