Completion of Maternal and Child Health Continuum of Care and Associated Factors in West Gondar Zone, North West Ethiopia, 2023: A Community Based Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background The maternal and child health continuum of care encompasses integrated service delivery spanning prepregnancy through childhood, aiming to enhance maternal and child health outcomes. Recognized as pivotal in reducing maternal and newborn mortality rates, it focuses on improving maternal and neonatal health and well-being. Despite its importance, there remains a scarcity of comprehensive studies on maternal and child health continuums of care. This study aimed to assess the completion of the maternal and child health continuum of care and its influencing factors among mothers with index children aged 12–23 months in the West Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2023. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1–30, 2023, by interviewing mothers of 12-23-month-old index children living in the West Gondar zone. A simple random sampling method was used to select 1019 mothers whose index child was 12–23 months old. The data were collected through KoboCollect android v2022 4.4 and imported to Stata version 14.0 for analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the associations between the independent variables and continuum of care. Variables with a p value < 0.2 in the bivariable logistic regression analysis were chosen for the multivariable logistic regression model. Finally, an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a p value < 0.05 were used to determine the statistical significance of the associations. The Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was computed. Results The overall rate of completion of the maternal and child health continuum of care was 6.19% (95% CI: 4.69–7.68). Associated factors were first ANC visit before 16 weeks of pregnancy [AOR:4.25(2.14–8.47)], mothers well prepared for birth preparedness and complication readiness [AOR: 3.02(1.41–6.46)], history of modern contraceptive utilization [AOR:2.34 (CI: 1.16–4.73)], intended pregnancy [AOR: 3.25 (CI; 1.63–6.48)], maternal services during their ANC visit [AOR: 2.69(1.07–6.80)] and health facility that took less than an hour from home [AOR: 2.53 (CI; 1.06–6.03)]. Conclusions The maternal and child health continuum of care in West Gondar was low. Birth preparedness and complication readiness, early initiation of ANC visits, planned pregnancy, family planning utilization, nearest health facility and maternal health service provision during ANC were factors affecting mothers’ ability to stay along the path of the MCH continuum of care. Efforts should be focused on those factors to improve the completion of maternal and child health care and to provide appropriate services at each level of the continuum.