Effect of Free Care on Access to All Prenatal Consultations in the Sinfra District

This research aims to understand the effects of free healthcare on access to all Antenatal Consultations (ANC) in the Sinfra district. Based on a group of 150 mothers identified through snowball sampling in the Sinfra district and a descriptive quantitative approach, the results show that the majority of these mothers live in rural areas, at a rate of 98.7%, and at a distance of more than 5 km from the nearest maternity hospital. Mostly uneducated, at a rate of 57.7%, these women are between 21 and 41 years old. Although 88% of the mothers are aware of the importance of ANC and its availability free of charge, only 38% know the exact number of consultations recommended for a normal pregnancy. This suggests that while the general benefits of ANC are acknowledged, knowledge of the clinical schedule remains limited. Even though free healthcare has pushed the majority of mothers to initiate ANC early, only 8% have carried out at least four ANCs during pregnancy. This low attendance at prenatal care is justified by the lack of means of transport, the distance to the health facility, long wait times, professional responsibilities, the lack of means to pay for medications, and the use of traditional treatments. In its ambition to become one of the world’s developed countries, Côte d’Ivoire must act urgently to encourage pregnant women to attend all prenatal care appointments. This involves raising awareness about the importance of antenatal care visits for the health of mothers and children, as well as complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.