Sociodemographic inequalities related to the initiation of antenatal care visits during gestation in Peruvian women: an analysis of the Demographic and Family Health Survey between 2019 and 2022

Abstract Methods A cross-sectional analysis with data from the 2019–2022 Demographic and Family Health Survey in Peru was conducted. Weighted Cox regression models helped calculate adjusted Hazard Ratios (aHR), and the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) was used to measure how sociodemographic factors like age, education, location, insurance, and ethnicity influenced the timing of antenatal care initiation. Results The study included 22668 Peruvian women aged 18 to 49. Among these women, the mean age was 31.45 years. Only 30.63% of women started their antenatal care visits in the first month of pregnancy. Additionally, women without education (aHR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.63 to 0.85, p < 0.001), those in urban areas (aHR: 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89 to 0.98, p = 0.003), and individuals of Quechua or Aymara descent (aHR: 0.91, 95%CI: 0.87 to 0.95, p < 0.001) were less likely to initiate antenatal care in the first months. Furthermore, individuals aged 18 to 29 (SII: -0.22, 95%CI: -0.26 to -0.18, p < 0.001), those without education (SII: -0.03, 95%CI: -0.04 to -0.02, p < 0.001), residing in rural areas (SII: -0.75, 95%CI: -0.78 to -0.71, p < 0.001), or living outside the capital (SII: -0.65, 95%CI: -0.70 to -0.60, p < 0.001) exhibited similar patterns. Conclusion Sociodemographic inequalities exist in the early beginning of antenatal care visits are evident among Peruvian women, especially impacting individuals in rural or non-capital regions with lower education levels and belonging to the Quechua or Aymara ethnic communities.