Sociodemographic inequalities related to the early beginning of antenatal care visits in Peruvian women: an analysis of the Demographic and Family Health Survey between 2019 and 2022

IntroductionStarting antenatal care within the first three months of pregnancy is crucial for maternal and fetal health, but sociodemographic barriers hinder timely care initiation for women. This study aims to assess sociodemographic inequalities in the initiation of antenatal care visits among Peruvian women. MethodsA cross-sectional analysis with data from the 2019-2022 Demographic and Family Health Survey in Peru was conducted. Weighted Cox regression models helped calculate adjusted Hazard Ratios (aHR), and the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) was used to measure how sociodemographic factors like age, education, location, insurance, and ethnicity influenced the timing of antenatal care initiation. ResultsThe study included 22668 Peruvian women aged 18 to 49. Among these women, the mean age was 31.45 years. Only 30.63% of women started their antenatal care visits in the first month of pregnancy. Additionally, women without education (aHR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.63 to 0.85, p{inverted exclamation}0.001), those in urban areas (aHR: 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89 to 0.98, p=0.003), and individuals of Quechua or Aymara descent (aHR: 0.91, 95%CI: 0.87 to 0.95, p{inverted exclamation}0.001) were less likely to initiate antenatal care in the first months. Furthermore, individuals aged 18 to 29 (SII: -0.22, 95%CI: -0.26 to -0.18, p{inverted exclamation}0.001), those without education (SII: -0.03, 95%CI: -0.04 to -0.02, p{inverted exclamation}0.001), residing in rural areas (SII: -0.75, 95%CI: -0.78 to -0.71, p{inverted exclamation}0.001), or living outside the capital (SII: -0.65, 95%CI: -0.70 to -0.60, p{inverted exclamation}0.001) exhibited similar patterns. ConclussionSociodemographic inequalities exist in the early beginning of antenatal care visits are evident among Peruvian women, especially impacting individuals in rural or non-capital regions with lower education levels and belonging to the Quechua or Aymara ethnic communities.