Attitude Of Pregnant Mothers Towards Antenatal Care Services

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Of The Study

Antenatal Care (ANC) is given different meanings by different scholars, among others the meaning that says, ?Antenatal Care means care before birth and includes education, counselling, screening and treatment to monitor and to promote the well-being of the mother and fetus? (Adewoye et al., 2013). Antenatal Care is an opportunity to promote the benefits of skilled attendance at birth and to encourage women to seek postpartum care for themselves and their newborn. It is also an ideal time to counsel women about the benefits of child spacing (Ye, Harun-Or-Rashid & Junichi Sakamoto, 2010).

According to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, every year, at least half a million women and girls die as a result of complications during pregnancy, childbirth or the six weeks following delivery. Almost all (99%) of these deaths occur in developing countries. This shows that the Antenatal care activity is very weak in developing countries. The main reasons that hinder the use of antenatal care are different from country to country. Developing countries encounter hemorrhage, followed by eclampsia, infection, abortion complications and obstructed labor. Other issues are lack of knowledge and preparedness about reproductive health in the family, community and health provider (Ojo, 2014).

To alleviate such factors, Antenatal Care is the most important method for detecting pregnancy problems in the early period. Because antenatal care is the best mechanism to minimize maternal mortality and give a piece of good information for pregnant women about their birth and how to prevent related problems. The best and most advantage of Antenatal Care is to protect the health of women?s and their infants as well as indicating the danger signals that will be occurred and needs to be further treated by advanced health professionals (Effendi, Isaranurug & Chompikul, 2008). Several studies indicate that the Antenatal Care utilization rate is still low due to many factors that need to be examined such as sociodemographic factors, knowledge of social support. They conclude that eliminating such factors is important to increase women?s participation in Antenatal Care. In Ethiopia, although, access to health care services is improving, the country has faced challenges in increasing health care utilization and the proportion of women who give birth with the assistance of skilled attendants is the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa (Regassa, 2011).

Proper ANC is one of the important ways in reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, many women in developing countries do not receive such care (Ye et al., 2010). Understanding maternal knowledge and practices of the community regarding care during pregnancy and delivery are very necessary and important. Since data on this very important issue are scarce in some communities, therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the attitude of pregnant mothers towards antenatal care services. 

1.2 Statement Of The Problem 

Every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth that means 529,000 women a year. In addition, for every woman who dies in childbirth, around 20 more suffer injury, infection or disease approximately 10 million women each year. Studies reveal that the cause of maternal mortality in developing countries is mostly due to poor accessibility to maternal health services poor referral to appropriate antenatal and delivery care units, and inadequacies of available care. These studies suggested that most of the maternal deaths were preventable with improved coverage of antenatal care, safe delivery and postpartum care. There are regional variations in antenatal care utilization rate basically due to differences in the availability of health care facilities, among the regions during 1985?1990, the antenatal coverage rate for the whole of Africa was 60% compared to 99% for developed countries (Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, EDHS, 2016).

Based on EDHS 2016 report, in Ethiopia, the maternal mortality rate has been estimated to be 676 per 100,000 live births. This is one of the highest rates in the World. In addition, women?s reproductive health problems are a timely and serious matter of concern, for any health professionals, the government as well as society. Antenatal care related problem parameters are very sensitive because it is directly related with maternal morbidity and mortality, and loss of the fetus. It is a necessary component of maternal health to identify complications. According to the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), antenatal care coverage of Ethiopia was 43%. Regular Antenatal Care visits can provide some benefits for the women such as a care provider that can result in reducing complications during pregnancy the absence of this activity affects millions of mothers in the rural as well as urban areas. The Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) in 2013, however, stipulated that approximately 576 women per 100,000 live births die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. In the same vein, in a study conducted by Fagbamigbe and Idemudia (2015), findings revealed that affordability, availability, and accessibility of ANC providers are the most common problems facing utilization of ANC in Nigeria. Government-owned health institutions in Nigeria are not being effective in encouraging women to attend antenatal care (Nwosu, Urama & Chigozie, 2012).

Many women from different studies have mentioned that women are embarrassed when visiting an ANC. With improved knowledge about the benefits of ANC and the importance of a positive attitude toward it, these women will come to understand that ANC?s medical procedures and interventions will do much to save their lives and improve their children?s health. In this way, they will be motivated enough to overcome their reluctance. In many ways, changing attitudes and behavior are the most challenging tasks, but are also the least costly. Proper educational campaigns and the improved dissemination of information are investments for the long-term (Igbokwe, 2012). Most previous studies done on knowledge and attitude of women toward ANC were community-based done on general women of child-bearing age. Until now little has been known about the knowledge and attitude of women who are currently using ANC services. Therefore, this study will help to the percentage of women who benefit from this very important service of women?s health and have a good attitude about antenatal care services. This study examines attitude of pregnant mothers towards antenatal care services.

1.3 Objectives Of The Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the attitude of pregnant mothers between 15-59years towards antenatal care services. Other objectives of this study are:

i. Identify pregnant mothers knowledge about antenatal care services. 

ii. Assess pregnant mothers  attitude towards the use of antenatal care services. 

iii. Determine the demographic, social and cultural factors that may contribute to the associated knowledge and attitude of pregnant mothers towards antenatal care services.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

What is the knowledge of pregnant mothers about antenatal care services? 

What is  attitude of pregnant mothers towards the use of antenatal care services? 

What are the demographic, social and cultural factors that may contribute to the associated knowledge and attitude of pregnant mothers towards antenatal care services?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: Pregnant mothers does not have positive attitude towards antenatal care services

Ha: Pregnant mothers has positive attitude towards antenatal care services