Antenatal care provides an opportunity to empower pregnant adolescents to recognise and
respond to the signs and symptoms of obstetric complications. Adolescent pregnancy is a
high-risk situation because of these mothers’ physical and psychological immaturity for
reproduction. In rural Ghana especially in the northern part of the country adolescent women
are reluctant to access antenatal care. This study therefore examines the various determinants
that may result their inability to attend antenatal care at the various health facilities in the
Yendi Municipality. In conducting this study a cross sectional, non-experimental descriptive
study design was employed with both quantitative and qualitative data collected and
analysed. The main tools for data collection were questionnaires and interview guides. Data
was collected from 126 adolescent mothers using a non-probability sampling; purposive
sampling technique. The study revealed among others that majority of adolescent mothers in
the Yendi municipality attributed long distance travel to health facilities, mother’s and
partner’s level of education, unfriendly attitude of health workers, cultural beliefs and income
as the main determinants for the utilisation of antenatal care services. Chi square analysis
performed, also identified a number of factors that have significant association with the
utilisation of antenatal care services, these include place of residence, ethnicity, religion,
marital status, partner’s education level and distance to health facility. The study
recommended, a comprehensive, action-based approaches are needed in rural communities,
including providing public transportation and increased availability of different types of
health facilities by government. Also there is a need for community-based interventions that
can create awareness and can change these social groups, cultural norms and behaviours.