Background: In the rural regions of Pakistan, access to essential primary healthcare services such as antenatal care remains limited and inconsistent. This lack of access contributes significantly to a higher maternal mortality ratio in rural areas in comparison to urban centers. 
Methods: This study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design because it was well-suited to explore the lived experiences and thoroughly understand perceptions of study participants. A sample size of 12 participants was chosen to address the barriers present in these communities. A purposive sampling technique was employed to ensure that participants were deliberately selected based on their knowledge, experience, and relevance to the research objectives.
Results: By using the thematic analysis, the results were grouped into seven interrelated themes. These themes included awareness and knowledge of antenatal care, accessibility of health facilities, economic barriers, cultural and traditional beliefs, impact of previous pregnancy experiences, fear & anxiety surrounding healthcare, gender norms and expectations.
Conclusion: Multifaceted barriers were dominant to antenatal care utilization in rural Jhelum. These barriers included economic, cultural and logistic challenges to women. Interventions should be focused on improving the maternal health education, improving the access to transportation and enhance provider patient communication when addressing gender norms through community engagement.