Antenatal care services utilization and factors associated in Jimma Town (south west Ethiopia).

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care is potentially one of the most effective health intervention for preventing maternal morbidity and mortality particularly in places where the general health status of women is poor.

OBJECTIVE: to assess antenatal care service utilization and factors associated with antenatal care non attendance.

METHODS: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women from January 26 to February 06, 2006 in Jimma Town, Jimma zonal administration south west Ethiopia. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The data collected on study variables were tabulated in frequency tables and significance of association between variables was tested using chi2--test of significance.

RESULT: A total of 360 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. The study, revealed that about 76.7% of the women have attended antenatal care and 23.3% have not attended at all. Literacy status, income, Gravidity, Religion and occupation showed statistically significant association (P < 0.05) with utilization of antenatal care. But marital status, Ethnicity and parity showed no statistically significant association (P > 0.05) with antenatal care utilization. The study showed that about 42.8% of the attendants have made their first antenatal visit in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Out of the total only 6.5% the studied women had the recommended four visits. Women in the age group 15-24 are more likely to attend ANC 2.75 times larger than that of women in the age group 25-34 (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.37, 4.38). Similarly others (students and farmers) are about four times likely to attend ANC than House wife's (OR = 4.06. 95% CI: 1.50, 11.40).

CONCLUSION: Even if there was high antenatal care utilization the pattern of follow up was in appropriate in most cases as the majority of pregnant women started using the service around 7-9 months with decreasing number in the 1st and 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Effective behavior change communication is needed to bring about proper antenatal care services utilization. Improving the quality of the service delivery and effective monitoring at, evaluation is critically important for improving the utilization of antenatal care services.