Gestation age at antenatal clinic booking in Sokoto, northern Nigeria.

Between January 1995 and December 1996, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the gestational age at which women book for antenatal care. The average gestational age at first antenatal attendance for the 2.304 women in the survey group was 23.5 +/- 6.0 weeks. The difference between the gestational age at first attendance for the literate subgroup (24.2 +/- 6.1 weeks) was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) The gestational age at booking among the grand multiparous women was significantly higher than that of the primigravidae (25.30 +/- 5.9 versus 23.1 +/- 6.1 weeks; P < 0.05). In 71% of cases there was no specific reason for electing the time for antenatal booking. Health education, with emphasis on the benefits of booking in the first trimester of pregnancy, is advocated. Service providers should also develop a referral system for those pregnant women relocating to new stations.