RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATERNAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND ANTENATAL CARE UTILIZATION PATTERNS AT PUMWANI MATERNITY HOSPITAL, NAIROBI, KENYA

Background: Antenatal care is essential for preventing maternal and neonatal complications, yet socioeconomic inequalities continue to affect its utilization. This study examined the relationship between maternal socioeconomic status and antenatal care utilization patterns at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. The target population comprised 300 postnatal mothers and 60 pregnant women from the three trimesters. A sample of 6 purposively sampled pregnant women were selected for the qualitative work and 300 postnatal women were invited to participate in the questionnaire through the census approach, however, only 294 completed the questionnaire. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically. The findings were integrated during interpretation.

Results: Of the 306 participants, only 300 responded, giving a 98.03% response rate. Maternal socioeconomic status was a significant positive predictor of adequate antenatal care utilization (odds ratio = 3.083, p < 0.001). The model explained 46.2% of the variation in utilization and correctly classified 81.3% of cases. Qualitative findings identified financial constraints, transport costs, employment conditions, and household economic responsibilities as important influences on antenatal care attendance.

Conclusion: Maternal socioeconomic status significantly influences antenatal care utilization. Addressing financial and access-related barriers, particularly among economically vulnerable women, may promote more equitable utilization of antenatal care services.