Publication:

Factors contributing to non-compliance to routine ante-natal haematinics among pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno, Nigeria

Background This study was carried out on factors contributing to non-compliance to routine ante-natal haematinics among pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Descriptive research design in which Yaro Yamen’s formular was used to calculate the sample size of 130. The objectives of the study were: to identify types of haematinics and duration of intake during ante natal care, to determine the factors contributing to non-compliance of haematinics and to determine the attitude of pregnant women toward haematinic use.

Methods Data was collected using a self-developed questionnaire and presented in frequency distribution tables and histogram.

Results The result showed that the response of the age variation of the respondents at 21-30 years old had the maximum age participation in haematinics with 62% of response, responses based on the choice of haematinics 50% went for folic acid, trimester intake of haematinics among pregnant women about 48% accepted that they made use of it during pregnancy period, the result also revealed that pregnant women take haematinics once a day with 63% respondents, pregnant women with higher educational qualification made more use of haematinics with 70% responses and that non-compliance to haematinics intake based on cultural believe contributed few to the use of haematinics with 36% while 64% of the respondents accepted cultural believe was not the factor contributing to non-compliance of haematinics usage.

Conclusions In conclusion, this study provided information on the general response to factors contributing to non-compliance to routine ante natal haematinics among pregnant women attending ante natal clinic in UMTH which was about 62%. It is therefore recommended that the government should put in place relevant agencies to pro-actively inform pregnant women cut across all age groups, level of education, occupational classes, culture inclinations and financial status on the medical importance of haematinics intake during the gestation period.