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Background: Antenatal Care (ANC) is globally considered significant clinical assessment for mother and foetus during pregnancy. Causes of insufficient number of visits of antenatal care among women during pregnancy, by the WHO less than 4 visits, is unknown but potentially due to a complex combination of several factors including: mother’s education, income, area of residence, geographical distribution and other factors share their contribution for the inadequate number of visits. By using data from nationally representative sample, this study investigates to analyse the pattern and determinants of recommended number of antenatal care visits of women during pregnancy in Bangladesh.

Aim: The aim of this study is to identify and explain the sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors and geographical variation which influence the WHO recommended number of visits of antenatal care of women in Bangladesh.

Methods: The 2014 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (2014 BDHS) data were used for this study. Descriptive statistics involved examining pattern of receiving sufficient number of visit of antenatal care services followed multiple logistic regression models which explores the association between all potential sociodemographic, socioeconomic factors and geographical variation and outcome variables.

Results: Less than one-third of the women were received essential number of visits of antenatal care during pregnancy. Various determinants like mother’s education, place of living, household wealth and divisional variation had significant effect on the obtaining minimum four number of antenatal care visits. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that highly educated women have 3.09 times (OR=3.09; 95% CI: 1.98-4.81) of higher odds of receiving recommended number of antenatal care visit compared to women those who had no education. Moreover, women of richest household had 3.49 times (OR=3.49; 95% CI: 2.39-5.08) greater chances of taking four of more number of visits of antenatal care than their poorest counterparts. Additionally, women from urban (city corporation) had 1.5 times higher odds to receive such recommended care than rural women (OR=1.5; 95% CI: 0.92-1.69). Furthermore, women from Rangpur division had 2.61 times of higher odds of taking required number of such care compared to women from Barisal division (OR=2.61; 95% CI: 1.80-3.78).

Conclusion: To increase frequency of receiving recommended number of visits of antenatal care services among women during pregnancy I think not only going for political reforms, but also health care reforms that target and provide better care for the poor are important.