Antenatal care utilization and associated factors among mothers in Lemo woreda, Haddiya zone, Southern Ethiopia: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Antenatal care is an essential health care pregnant women need for healthy maternity and normal growth of the fetus. However, many pregnant women miss the opportunity particularly in rural settings. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine Antenatal Care Utilization and associated factors. Methods: A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted among women who had less than one year child in Lemo woreda from March 15 to 30/2015.Both quantitative and qualitative approaches of data collections were used. Eleven kebeles were randomly selected by lottery method.347survey sample were recruited using simple random method. In addition, 4 focus group discussions and 7 in depth interviews were included in the study. Structured interviewer administered questionnaires, FGD and IDIs guides were used for data collection. Ethical clearance and formal letters were obtained from ethical review board of Jimma University. Informed consent was sought from the study participants. The collected data were entered to EPI-data 3.1 and exported to Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for analysis and ATLAS-ti version-7 was used for qualitative data analysis. The descriptive analysis and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used. The crude and adjusted odds ratio together with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed and P-value<0.05 was considered to declare a result as statistically significant. Result: Antenatal care utilization was 121(34.9%) in the study population. Multivariable analysis revealed that maternal education, knowledge, house hold income, mother decision making power, urine testing and deworming during ANC visit have positive association with ANC utilization. But maternal age has negative association with ANC utilization. Result from qualitative data also support this as most participants mention that male decision making power, social and cultural influence, women lack of awareness about ANC, supply and service provision problem at health post make them not to utilize the recommended service. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that most women do not utilized the recommended antenatal care service. This is because of antenatal care was viewed primarily as curative rather than preventive due to lack of awareness in the study population, social and cultural influence like male dominance and institutional service and provision time problem and low level of women education. Recommendation: health institutions should focus on good approach during care provision, availing supplies, community education, and strengthening the available linkage and networks, partner participation and discussion on ANC issues together with women empowerment on household decision-making would be helpful in reducing the problem.