Gaps and challenges underpinning the first analysis of global coverage of early antenatal care

The importance of antenatal care cannot be underestimated. Antenatal care coverage, defined as a minimum of four antenatal care visits, has been used globally as a benchmark of performance of maternal health programmes, was included in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG),1 and is key to goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, despite the recognition of the importance of initiation of antenatal care in the first trimester (known as early antenatal care), this provision has not been used as an indicator nor previously evaluated.