Appropriate and timely care during pregnancy and delivery can improve maternal health. The present study aimed at determining factors associated with late antenatal care (ANC) initiation among pregnant women attending a comprehensive health clinic in Kandahar Province of Afghanistan. Of the 420 pregnant women, 281 (66.9%) presented late (>12 weeks) for their first ANC visit. The multivariable analysis showed that women with lack of knowledge on when to start ANC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =4.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.63-8.84), not planned last pregnancy (AOR = 3.07; 95% CI: 1.72-5.5), and no ANC visit in the past (AOR = 17.56; 95% CI: 5.89-52.3) were significantly associated with late ANC initiation. Cox and Snell R2 was 0.2 and Nagelkerke R2 was 0.4. This study has found high rates of late ANC initiation among pregnant women in the study area. The factors associated with late ANC initiation should be addressed to contribute to the reduction of late ANC initiation, and this in turn can improve maternal and fetal health.
Keywords: Afghanistan; antenatal care initiation; factors; pregnant women.