Abstract
Introduction: Female workers in Indonesia represent a particularly vulnerable population, as economic pressures frequently compel them to assume dual roles in income generation and family caregiving. Accordingly, this study examined the influence of socioeconomic factors on the delayed initiation of antenatal care (ANC) among this group of women.
Study Design: A cross-sectional study.
Methods: Utilizing secondary data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey, this secondary analysis included 30,173 women of reproductive age who had given birth within the previous five years. The primary outcome was delayed ANC initiation, with socioeconomic status as the primary exposure variable. Residence, age, marital status, education, health insurance, and parity were also included as control variables. SPSS 26 and binary logistic regression were utilized for the statistical analysis.
Results: Nearly 18.0% of working women experienced delayed initiation of ANC. Socioeconomic status significantly influenced ANC timeliness. Compared with the wealthiest group, the likelihood of delayed ANC initiation progressively increased across lower wealth categories: the poorest (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.814–2.855), poorer (95% CI: 1.624–1.647), middle (95% CI: 1.542–1.562), and richer (95% CI: 1.367–1.384). The narrow CIs reflect the large sample size and the survey data’s high statistical precision.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate a clear socioeconomic gap in timely maternal healthcare. It was revealed that low-income working women need specific interventions to overcome financial and structural barriers to ANC. Moreover, they require more financial protection and occupational flexibility to receive ANC and improve maternal health in Indonesia.