Our findings indicate that the mean age and education of
women with inadequate prenatal care are lower compared
to those receiving adequate prenatal care. According
to a study by Fekrat (1998), higher age and lower
education decreased the likelihood of referral for prenatal
care [9]. Similarly, Kulmala et al. reported that illiteracy
and lower levels of education are among major
reasons for not referring regularly for receiving prenatal
cares [10]. In our study, only 17 women were employed,
therefore, no significant relationship was found between
the employment of pregnant women and level of care
received. 14 of the employed women had received prenatal
care and this indicates that employment may have a
positive effect on referral of pregnant women for prenatal
care. In this study, the time of the initiation of prenatal
care in women with adequate care was earlier; a
finding consistent with previous studies which indicated
that the most common cause of not referring for prenatal
care was unawareness of pregnancy. Regarding the gestational
age, the majority of women had term labor, followed
by preterm, post-date and post term labor, in deCopyright
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