Analysis on utilization of maternal health care service in Ethiopia: Using Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health survey

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) established the "Safe motherhood package" as a manual for interventions in maternal and child health, and it lists antenatal care as the fundamental intervention in lowering maternal and infant mortality. Antenatal Care for women and children starts with their immediate health issues and extends to their long-term wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of the community. Getting in touch with mothers and identifying and managing present and future risks and issues are the main goals of prenatal care. It is regarded as one of the most crucial for the mother's health, the fetus's optimal development, and preventing or lessening pregnancy complications (Fantahun M, 1992). Methodology: This research used cross sectional study design retrieved from Ethiopian MiniDemographic and Health Survey 2019 to assess factors affecting utilization of maternal health care services in Ethiopia. This study analyzes responses from 3979 women age 15-49, who have at least one child under age five at the time the survey was fielded. Result: Women from Urban areas were more likely to receive ANC care than women from other rural areas. The bivariate results show a significant difference in the use of maternal health care services by age, marital status, women’s education, parity, wealth, religion, and family size as significant and independent predictors for the use of antenatal care. And age, wealth, region, residence, women’s education, parity, religion and family size are significance and independent predictors for the use of delivery care services in Ethiopia. Bivariant and multivariate analysis showed significant association between ANC and maternal age, women’s education, religion and wealth. Age (OR=1.527, 95%CI=1.102,2.116), Education (OR=1.731,95%CI=1.434,2.090), religion (OR=1.829,95% CI=1.386, 2.414), wealth (OR=2.234,95% CI= (1.758, 2.839) and residence (OR=.387,95% CI= 290, .516) were associated with choice of delivery site. Education and parity were found to be strong predictor of both antenatal care and delivery care. Conclusion: In brief, the study discovered low maternal health care utilization in the area. Increasing maternal health service coverage and promotion of IEC in the community are recommended.