Introduction: Nepal is considered a major labour exporter with insurance schemes established to increase healthcare services accessibility. While improving accessibility and availability of antenatal care services is important in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates, a defining factor such as Quality of services is often neglected. Therefore, this study will examine the association between pregnant women who have foreign employment as source of income and the quality of antenatal care services they received in Nepalese hospitals.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study, using secondary data from SUSTAIN and REFINE studies collected between January the 1st and December 31st, 2020, from nine hospitals across various Nepalese districts. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association between the type of occupation and the quality of ANC received.
Results: Women identified as having a foreign type of employment were found to be 0.68 times less likely to receive a poor quality of ANC services [aOR=0.68; 95% CI=0.64-0.74] and 1.33 times more likely to have knowledge on danger signs [cOR=1.33; 95% CI=1.23-1.45]. While post COVID-19 restrictions were 1.32 times more likely to receive a poor quality of care, the results were insignificant [aOR=1.32; 95% CI=1.24-1.42].
Conclusion: This study shows a positive association between having foreign employment and receiving good quality of ANC service and having knowledge on pregnancy danger signs. Other sociodemographic factors were found to affect both quality of ANC and danger signs knowledge such as education level, age, and socioeconomic status.