Determinants and feto-maternal complications associated with inadequacy of ANC visits. A multicentre cross-sectional study in northern Ghana.

Background Antenatal care (ANC) is a vital component of maternal healthcare, providing continuous support from conception to delivery. It emphasizes both maternal and foetal monitoring to identify early risk factors and offers essential education on nutrition, exercise, and birth preparedness. ANC further ensures a healthy pregnancy, safe delivery, and improved neonatal outcomes. However, limited evidence exists on the sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics of women with untimely or inadequate ANC attendance. Moreover, serious foetomaternal complications, including preeclampsia, eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), maternal and neonatal mortality, obstetric haemorrhage, and NICU admissions, remain underexplored, prompting this study to evaluate the prevalence and associated complications of inadequate (