Current Status of Antenatal Care Utilization in the Context of Data Conflict: The Case of Dembecha District, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Good antenatal care (ANC) is one of the most important health care aspects known to reduce maternal mortality. In Ethiopia, regional and national data at times do not concur thus data from district to district level decision making are needed. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the prevalence and correlates of ANC service utilization. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women. Multistage sampling was used. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was data collection tool. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 for windows. Logistic regression was used to assess possible association among variables. Odds ratio at 95% confidence interval was used to measure strength, and statistical significance of associations. Prevalence of ANC service utilization was 57%. Of these, more than 80% of them received ANC for ≥4 times. This finding is more similar to the regional report (68%) than that of EDHS (2011) for Amhara Region (34%). Marital status, educational status and income were important predictors for ANC service utilization. The most outstanding finding of this study was that more than 20% and 60% of mothers received antennal care, and information about antenatal care from health extension workers. Antenatal care utilization is still low. Single, divorced, or separated mothers were less likely to utilize ANC while economically better off, and literate mothers were more likely to use ANC services than their counterparts. The finding of this study is in line with the annual reports from the Regional health bureau and disagrees with Ethiopian demographic health survey-EDHS-(2011). Therefore, districts should be encouraged to make decisions based on their own locally generated data than based on EDHS data which could at times be discouraging for districts with better performance. Further strengthening of Health Extension Program is recommended.

The determinant of Antenatal Care Visits among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia

“…The findings of this study revealed that education had a positive relationship with ANC visit, that is, the number of ANC visit increase with the increase in woman's and husband's education level. The study shows a similar result with other studies [11,14,19] which revealed that non-educated women were less ANC attendants than those who have educated women. This study also showed that marital status was found to be significantly affecting ANC visits.…”

DELAY on first antenatal care visit and its associated factors among pregnant women in public health facilities of Debre Markos town, North West Ethiopia

“…This might be due to difference in educational status of mothers between Bengazie and ours. But this finding is comparatively lower than the findings studied in Ndola (68.6%) and Mpongwe (72%) districts of Zambia [ 23 ] and South East Tanzania (81.5%) [ 24 ], EDHS,2011(89%) [ 25 ], Jimma University Specialized Hospital (60.1%) [ 26 ], Kembata tembaro Zone (68.6%) [ 27 ] and Dembech district of East Gojjam Zone,North west Ethiopia (94.2%) [ 28 ] .The possible explanation for this observed difference might be due to study population composition in which proportion of mothers residing in rural areas of current study were lower than other studies.…”

Quality of antenatal care services and completion of four or more antenatal care visits in Ethiopia: a finding based on a demographic and health survey

“…In this study, individual, household, and community level factors were considered as determinants of completing four or more ANC visits in Ethiopia. This study differed from others carried out in Ethiopia [ 10 – 13 ] to date in that it considered community related variables and used binary logistic regression model with robust standard error estimates. This analysis was helpful to quantify the association of community related variables with completion of four or more ANC visits so as to design more effective policies, define appropriate intervention and reduce community based inequalities in accessing ANC services.…”

“…Several studies conducted among specific localized areas in Ethiopia examined factors affecting ANC utilization [ 10 – 13 ], but these were neither representative of the country nor particular about the recommended minimum of four visits. The studies considered only individual and household characteristics associated with the utilization of ANC services.…”