DETERMINANT OF POSTNATAL CARE UTILIZATION AMONG MOTHERS LIVING IN WOLKITE TOWN

Abstract

Postnatal period (PNP), also called the puerperium, is defined as the period starting immediately after the delivery of placenta and membranes up to the next six weeks (42 days). Despite postnatal care services has a significant role in improving maternal and new-born health services are underutilized in most developing countries including Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to assess postnatal care services utilization and associated factors among reproductive age women who gave live birth in 2011 E.C in Wolkite town, Southern Ethiopia. Mothers and their newborns are vulnerable to illnesses and a death during the postnatal period. The uptake of this service is low in Wolkite town. This study would be conducted by using primary data collected by direct interview. The response variable is the status of mothers who uses postnatal care. Child’s characteristics and mother's characteristics would be employed as the explanatory variables. In order to analyze the collected data descriptive and inferential statistics would be employed. The finding of this study revealed that out of the total women included in the study 22.5% of them were not getting postnatal checkup on services and 77.5% of them were getting postnatal checkup services. The chi-Square test result showed that residence, education, and delivery place has a significant association with postnatal care utilization service at 5% level of significance. The logistic regression result revealed that the log odds of Women using postnatal care utilization service has significantly related with place of residence, place of delivery and wealth index. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are put forward to bring about postnatal care service. Knowledge and skills on PNC care services among mother. The government should seek ways to empower women economically by producing income generating schemes and increasing postnatal care opportunities.