Factors affecting utilization of obstetric ultrasound: a study of semi-urban pregnant women in a developing nation

Background: Ultrasound scanning presently forms an integral part of antenatal care around the globe. It is a common investigative tool in most public and private health facilities in developing countries. Routine obstetric ultrasound has been one of the most important advances in antenatal care worldwide. It is also useful in the early detection and monitoring of the conditions that give rise to fetal and maternal compromise and has become an indispensable adjunct to the management efforts of practitioners in this regard. Therefore, utilization of this innovation by pregnant mothers is paramount toward good outcome. Objective: The objective is to determine the factors affecting utilization of ultrasound by pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Zaria Local Government, Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive was used to carry out the study among 200 pregnant mothers selected through multistage sampling technique. This study was conducted over a period of 6 months from November 6, 2017, to May 6, 2018, after approval was given by the ethical committee of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria. A structured interviewer-administered, validated questionnaire was administered to each participant to ascertain the factors affecting utilization of obstetric ultrasound by pregnant women in Zaria Local Government, Kaduna State. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 22. Results: The data obtained from the questionnaire were scored for proper evaluation. Furthermore, all collected data were carefully tallied, various frequencies, ranges, and mean (standard deviation) were determined. Most (29.5%) of the respondents aged 20–24 years, majority (95.5%) were homemakers that are not gainfully employed. Majority of the respondents were Hausa (94.5) and Muslims (96.5%). The findings of this study have shown that educational status, husband occupation, and knowledge affect the utilization of ultrasound by respondents. Conclusion: The common factors that affect the utilization of obstetric scan in Zaria were knowledge, education background, and husband occupation. Attitude, age, and the occupation of the respondents do not affect the utilization of obstetrics scan in Zaria.