Missed opportunities for antenatal syphilis testing and its associated factors among mothers delivered at fort portal regional referral hospital, Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Theoneste Hakizimana; Marie Pascaline Sabine Ishimwe; Yarine Fajardo; Christine Olwedo Adoch; Ugwu Okechukwu Paul-Chima; Rogers  Kajabwangu

doi:10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20242792

Authors

Theoneste Hakizimana Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda
Marie Pascaline Sabine Ishimwe Department of General Medicine, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
Yarine Fajardo Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda
Christine Olwedo Adoch Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Busitema University, Tororo, Uganda
Ugwu Okechukwu Paul-Chima Department of Publications and Extension, Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda
Rogers Kajabwangu Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kampala International University, Kampala, Uganda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20242792

Keywords:

Antenatal care, Antenatal syphilis testing, Missed opportunities, Syphilis testing

Abstract

Background: The global effort to eradicate mother to child transmission (MTCT) of syphilis concentrated on attaining antenatal syphilis screening and treatment; nevertheless, there is lack of data about the accessibility of prenatal screening and treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study aimed at determining the proportion of missed opportunities for antenatal syphilis testing and associated factors among mothers in rural western Uganda delivered at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital (FRRH).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from postnatal ward of FRRH from April to July 2022. Consecutive sampling of 381 participants was done. A structured pretested questionnaire was used to obtain Sociodemographic details and other factors required for analysis. Using SPSS version 22.0, descriptive statistical analysis was done and binary logistic regression was computed to determine factors associated with missed opportunities for antenatal syphilis testing with a significance level of 5% and 95% confidence interval.

Results: The proportion of missed opportunities for syphilis testing was 124 (32.5%). lack of syphilis test counseling (aOR= 4.3 [2.009-9.438], lack of knowledge of syphilis MTCT (aOR= 3.1 [1.120-8.903], lack of transport (aOR= 10.7 [3.116-36.810] and fear of testing (aOR= 4.3 [1.075-17.484] were found to be independently associated factors after multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: Our study findings demonstrated the need of sensitization of healthcare providers including antenatal care (ANC) staff about the role of identifying mothers who missed antenatal syphilis testing while in postnatal ward for education, counselling and testing.

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