Magnitude and correlates of postnatal care utilization among reproductive aged women in a rural district in eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Postnatal care is critical to detect and manage postpartum complications in the early stages as well as to prevent potentially life-threatening health conditions that lead to maternal death. However, postnatal care utilization is persistently low in Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to assess the magnitude and correlates of postnatal care utilization among reproductive aged women in Kersa district, in eastern Ethiopia.

Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in ten randomly selected sub-districts in Kersa district. Respondents were recruited using systematic random sampling techniques. Data were collected by an interviewer-administered questionnaire using iPads. A total of 1206 respondents' data were considered in the analysis. Frequency and percentage distributions of the variables were performed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify the predisposing, enabling and need factors associated with postnatal care utilization. An Odds Ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to ascertain the direction and strength of the association.

Results: Less than one in thirteen women attended postnatal care after their last delivery in the study community. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that postnatal care utilization is associated with receiving education on maternal health, best friend's use of maternal care, head of the household, and experience of postpartum complications. Receiving education on maternal health (AOR, 2.32; 95% CI: 1.38, 3.89) and best friend's use of maternal care (AOR, 2.41; 95% CI: 1.39, 4.19) were significant predisposing factors that independently predicted postnatal care utilization. Furthermore, head of the household was a significantly associated enabling factor for postnatal care utilization (AOR, 0.24; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.81). The experience of postpartum complications (AOR, 0.10; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.20) was the only need factor that was associated with postnatal care utilization.

Conclusion: Postnatal care utilization is extremely low in the study district. Strengthening health education and promotion activities on maternal health, peer education programs within the women's social networks, strengthening women empowerment programs, and women's mobilization to seek postnatal care before the occurrence of complications are essential actions that can improve postnatal care utilization.

Keywords: Eastern Ethiopia; Postnatal care utilization; Rural district; Women.