Journal of Nursing & Care

Antenatal Care and Health Facility Delivery Practice among Mothers in Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Yohannes Bacha* and Nejimu Biza

Background: Antenatal Care (ANC) and the attendance of a skilled health worker at birth are fundamental aspects of reproductive health care that all pregnant mothers should have access to. However, the proportion of mothers attending antenatal care services and levels of facility-based delivery service utilization were low in developing countries.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study to assess ANC and health facility delivery practice among 208 women who had at least one birth one year prior to the study in Dupti woreda (district), Afar region, Northeast Ethiopia. The data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Chi-Square test of independence was used to determine the association between ANC use and each of the predictor variables. Binary logistic regression analyses were also used to estimate the associations between independent variables and the place of delivery.

Results: The proportion of mothers attending antenatal care services at least once were 71.6% (95% confidence intervals (CI): 65.0%-78.0%) while only 51.0% of these mothers had made the WHO recommendation of at least four ANC visits. However, 65.4% [95% CI: 59.0%-72.0%] of mothers gave birth at health facilities. The study also showed that the recommended ANC visits were associated with facility-based delivery service utilization in the study area. ANC service utilization, woman's autonomy in choice of place of delivery and the presence of pregnancy related problem during pregnancy were most significant predictors of health facility delivery service utilization by mothers (P <0.05).

Conclusion: The percentage of at least once and fourth ANC visits were 71.6% and 51.0% respectively in the study area. The utilization of facilitybased delivery service was lower among women who had at least one birth one year prior to the study compared to those women who attended antenatal care services at least once. Promoting information, education and communication regarding ANC and health facility delivery service utilization, expansion and improving quality of ANC and facility delivery care services and empowerment of women are needed for optimization of the condition of the mother and the fetus.