ASSESSMENT OF ANTENATAL CARE COVEREG AND FACTORS AFECTING UTLIZATION OF ANTINATAL CARE AMONG WOMEN IN WOLKITE TOWN, SNNPR, ETHIOPIA, 2023

Abstract

BACKGROUD: know antenatal care coverage and utilization is one of the important factors in dropping maternal morbidity and mortality; meanwhile, many women in Ethiopia do not receive such care. However, little is known about determinants factor of ANC coverage in Ethiopia and particularly in wolkite town.  OBJECTIVES: To determine antenatal care coverage status and associated factors among mothers who gave birth within 1 year preceding the study in wolkite town.  METHOD: A community based cross sectional study was conducted using quantitative methods from June to August 2023 in Wolkite town, on 362 women who gave birth 1 year preceding the study. To select study participant in the town, 2 sub city out of 3 sub city were selected randomly randomly by lottery methods. A study participant or mothers were selected by simple random sampling method from the sampling frame generated from health center and hospital registrars. Data was entered by Epidata 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0, and ethical clearance, consent letter and informed consent was obtained from Wolkite University College of medicine and health science ethical review committee, wolkite administration and study participant respectively. RESULT: There was relatively high antenatal care visits among the study participants and this study confirmed that antenatal care coverage was relatively high in the study area. This study also confirmed that among 357 interviewed mothers 333 (93.2%) mothers followed at least one ante natal care. From 357 mothers 313(87 %) Followed antenatal care four and above times during their last pregnancy and 183 (51.3%) mothers follow greater than eight ante natal care. More than half of participant attend greater than four visit. This study also identified that mothers educational level, monthly family income , occupational status of the mother, means of transportation to reach to health facility, age of the of mothers were the main factor influencing women who received less than four or not follow ANC during their last pregnancy. 2  Conclusion and recommendation: Even if there was relatively high antenatal care coverage among the study participants but antenatal care utilization was low in the study area. Women’s education status or plan adult learning program, teaching appropriate age of marriage, accessing health Infrastructure to community, encourage pregnant women to follow ANC and educating about income to filmy size relationship is an important factor for coverage of ANC service in the study area suggesting that educating girls will have a great impact on improving future coverage of ANC in the area. Availing health infrastructure is crucial in reducing time travel to reach health facility will enhance women to follow ANC